Member of Parliament taken to task over school project
People surrounding Emanyaleni Township in Mzimba North have challenged their Member of Parliament (MP), Agnes Nyalonje to walk the talk on her pledge to finish construction work on Luhawani Boarding Secondary School with the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Communities have threatened to take over the project using self mobilised funds if the MP does not show commitment.
The structures which stand incomplete include four classroom blocks, a staff room, toilets and four teachers’ houses.
The contractor who was hired to do the job dumped it around 2002 due to government’s non-payment and ever since, the structures have remained desolate.
One of the locals, Evans Jere told The Daily Times on Sunday that politicians have been taking advantage and made empty promises in the project.
“We are tired of these politicians who come here to buy votes during campaign and later fail to fulfill their promises. Former president Bakili Muluzi started the project, but all the presidents who came after him have failed to complete the school.
“If the MP [Nyalonje] is not ready to release CDF to complete the project, let her tell us so that we can roof the structures using the little we can mobilise among ourselves. We are ready to sell some of our farm produces this year and buy iron sheets, cement and other materials to finish the school,” Jere said.
In her response, Nyalonje said she appreciates the importance of the project and that she will attend to the people’s concern.
“This is an important project that definitely needs completing. There have been community meetings spearheaded by Voice of Livingstonia through their community project wing.”
“I have been out of circulation for some months now, pre-occupied with other personal duties. I will need some time to sort things and get back into the work on the ground” Nyalonje said.
Through Voice of Livingstonia project dubbed Increase Access to Information; Gateway to Meaningful Development, the communities are tracking duty bearers on their promised developments that have not made progress.
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