KASUNGU, Malawi (Aug 27) – President Lazarus Chakwera closed a two-day campaign swing through Kasungu on Wednesday with a call for peace, urging voters to reject violence as the nation heads into the September 16 elections.
“Violence is a thing of the past and cannot be used as a campaign tool,” Chakwera told thousands at Santhe Admarc ground, capping a tour that saw him address all 11 constituencies in the district.
He pledged to revive Malawi’s struggling agriculture sector with better crop prices and irrigation schemes, while condemning hoarding of goods that drives up prices. “The agriculture sector must come back to life,” he said. “This is unacceptable… it hurts our people.”
Chakwera’s whistle-stop tour drew large crowds, with local chiefs calling for urgent food support after poor harvests. Analysts say the strong turnout underscores his momentum against former president Peter Mutharika, whose campaign has been hampered by age and absence. “A tree that no longer grows new branches is ready for the axe,” one Kasungu elder remarked.
With 370,000 voters in Kasungu, the district is seen as a key battleground. For Chakwera, the message was clear: he is running like a man in his prime, while Mutharika’s camp risks being remembered as yesterday’s song.
