The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has officially kicked off its political campaign for the upcoming September elections with a vibrant event held in the northern region’s Mzimba district. Two days following the unveiling of its manifesto in Lilongwe, MCP torchbearer and State President, Lazarus Chakwera, addressed supporters, outlining both his accomplishments in the Northern Region during his first term and ambitious plans for a second term.
In his speech, President Chakwera confidently pointed to significant progress made in the Northern Region over the past five years. He celebrated the ongoing construction of the long-awaited Mzimba Stadium and the revival of the Mzuzu Youth Centre, both promising developments aimed at enhancing local facilities for youth and sports, attributing these to the votes that he was given during the 2020 presidential election which gave him his first victory.
Oti mukamaona kuti pa Mzimba boma pano pamangidwa Stadium yomwe yatsala pang’ono kutha, yamanga ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa. Mukamaona kuti Mzuzu Youth Centre yomwe inkakanika kuyamba mmbuyomu inayamba kumangidwa, yachita zimenezo ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa.
Chakwera highlighted vital infrastructure improvements, emphasizing that over 100,000 households in Rumphi and Nkhata Bay now have access to clean drinking water. He noted that the M1 road, a major transportation route from Lilongwe to Karonga, is currently undergoing extensive rehabilitation, while both Mzuzu and Karonga Airports have been expanded to accommodate larger aircraft.
Mukamaona kuti makomo oposa 100,000 ku Nkhatabay ndi ku Rumphi ayamba kupeza madzi apampopi, yabweretsa madziwo ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa. Mukaona kuti nseu wa M1 ofikira kuno ku mpoto kuchokera ku Lilongwe ukukonzedwa mwamakono, ikukonza nseuwo ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa. Mukaona kuti mabwalo a ndege ku Mzuzu ndi ku Karonga akonzedwa nkuyamba kulandira ndege zikuluzikulu, yachita ntchito imeneyo ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa.
The president shared his satisfaction in providing disaster relief, stating that 72,022 families in the North received essential food aid during various climate-related challenges. He also pointed to the success of the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), which allowed thousands of farmers to access affordable fertilizer, as well as targeted cash transfers under the Mtukula Pakhomo social welfare program that benefited many poor families in the region, saying:
Olo mabanja okwana 72,022 kuno ku mpoto omwe mwalandila chakudya kuti chikuthandizeni mmene minda yanu inaonongeka ndi ngozi ya nyengo, chinakubweretserani chakudyacho ndi voti yanu yomwe munandipatsa. Olo mabanja omwe mwakhala mukulandira chithandizo cha ndalama ya mtukula pakhomo, kapena feteleza wa AIP, yakufikitsa chithandizocho pakhomo lanu ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa.
Chakwera’s commitment to education was evident as he touted the ongoing construction of a new state-of-the-art mega library facility at Mzuzu University and the historic abolition of the quota system, which ended discriminatory practices against Northern students.
Olo library yamakono yomwe ndikumanga ku Mzuzu University, ikumangitsa ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa. Olo Quota System yomwe ndinathetsa pa masankhidwe a ana askulu kuno, inandipatsa mphamvu zothetsera ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa.
He also praised the Malawi National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF), revealing that over 63,000 Northerners received loans, achieving the highest repayment rate in the country.
Olo anthu 63,000 kuno ku mpoto omwe alandira ngongole za NEEF zokwana 54 billion, ma bizinesi 63,000 atsopano amene ayambika kuno ku mpoto ayamba chifukwa cha voti yomwe munandipatsa. Komanso anthu omwe abweza ngongole za NEEF kuno kumpoto chifukwa mabizinesi awo anagwira nseu anakwana 86%, the highest repayment rate of any region, which means kuti mu second term yanga ndalama yabwezedwayo ifikiranso ena kuti nawo athandizidwe nawo. Zonsezi zachitika chifukwa cha voti yomwe munandipatsa kuno ku mpoto,” he said.
Chakwera also asserted his appointment into senior government positions, individuals from the northern region, highlighting their influential mark in the spearheading of the welfare of the region:
Olo nduna ndi akuluakulu ena aboma ochokera kuno ku mpoto omwe ndinawaika mmipando ikuluikulu kuti chigawo chakumpoto chikhale mkati mwenimweni moyendetsa boma, inandipatsa kuthekera yowaika mmipandoyo ndi voti yomwe munandipatsa.
Looking ahead, Chakwera outlined an ambitious vision for his second term, promising the launch of a new Mzuzu International Airport, which is fully funded and ready to break ground. He announced plans to start the long-awaited construction of Mmbelwa University, as part of his commitment to enhance educational opportunities in the North.
The President pledged to significantly improve road infrastructure to unlock economic potential, detailing plans for new roads that will connect various regions and enhance transportation. The proposed upgrades include transformative projects such as the Rumphi–Nyika–Chitipa Road and the construction of a Mzuzu City Bypass Road.
In addressing unemployment and youth empowerment, Chakwera committed to expanding the Youth Innovation Fund to K5 billion. He announced the “Ten-Ten Challenge,” an initiative aimed at funding 10,000 youth-led businesses with K10 million each, prioritizing Northern youth in national employment schemes.
Chakwera also promised to enhance energy access by connecting more households to electricity, contributing to a national target of 70%. He emphasized governance reforms that would include direct mayoral elections in Mzuzu and a move towards digital transparency in local councils.
Furthermore, he pledged to significantly increase development funding, raising the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to K500 million per constituency, ensuring Northern MPs can effectively deliver on local projects.
In a heartwarming commitment to the future, Chakwera announced a sovereign wealth initiative, stating that every child born in the North would receive a “Tsogolo Account” investment of K500,000 under a national fund.
He concluded his address with a promise of 72 new public services to expand core services across all districts in the Northern Region, affirming his administration’s commitment to fostering growth and development.
Below is the full speech:
