Mutharika geared for second term
Barely a week after telling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters in the Northern Region that he is young, President Peter Mutharika yesterday reaffirmed his sentiments that he will remain in active politics beyond 2019.
Mutharika took to the podium to outline some of his development plans past the polls amid a barrage of criticism that he could be past his prime as a politician though constitutionally eligible to contest for a second term.
The President is currently 79 and will be 81 during the 2019 tripartite elections.
Mutharika was speaking at Raiply in Mzimba when he officially inaugurated Export Processing Zone factory, a subsidiary of Raiply Malawi Limited.
“We are bringing a lot of development to the North. We have the Mzuzu–Nkhata Bay Road, which assessors say is the best road in Malawi. We are also completing the Jenda– Edingeni Road that will connect to Zambia border. We have plans to construct the road that will connect Chikangawa to Nkhata Bay. This will be done during the second term of my administration,” Mutharika said.
He also hailed progress on the Njakwa-Livingstonia and Karonga-Songwe roads.
“But this was my first term and I will continue my work in my second term. In three years, I have managed to construct 10 major roads across the country as opposed to others who built a single road in 31 years,” Mutharika reiterated.
Mutharika expressed optimism that the new factory will support the country’s economic growth through job creation and forex earnings.
He said government will continue to make Malawi attractive to foreign investors with aim of turning the country into a predominantly producing and exporting country.
Mutharika was, however, quick to admit that most businesses are suffering due to persistent power outages.
Raiply Malawi Limited Chief Executive Officer Krishna Das decried massive encroachment and malicious fire damage within their concession area of Chikangawa forest.
“It is our estimate that over 2,100 hectares has been encroached on or illegally harvested and is now totally bare. As a result, we have lost a great deal of investment,” Das said.
He said the company has invested about K9 billion in the new subsidiary.
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