By Aubrey Thom Vakhani
Member of Parliament for Mzuzu City South East Constituency, William Chikweta Kaweche, stood up in parliament last Friday and delivered a passionate maiden speech, highlighting the pressing issues affecting his constituency.
He began by emphasising the importance of food security, citing the struggles of his constituents who were facing hunger “due to last year’s poor harvest and the mismanagement of the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) under the previous administration.”
“Madam Deputy Speaker, access to food is essential to life. Many of my constituents are facing hunger, and it’s unacceptable that Mzuzu City South East Constituency was left out of the recent Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report,” Kaweche said.
Moving on to education, Kaweche stressed the need for a secondary school between Kanthete and Kaboko to reduce long distances and prevent early marriages and school dropouts.
“Many learners cover a distance of 10 kilometres going to nearby secondary schools [Masasa and Lukalazi]. We are urgently need a secondary school between these areas,” he said.
Kaweche was confident that with the K5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF), he could construct a Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in the area.
Kaweche also highlighted the plight of Kaligomba Primary School, which desperately needed additional classroom blocks, and Chibavi Primary School, which was overcrowded with 120 learners in some classes. He urged the ninistery of education to address these issues and create a better learning environment for the children.
He asked government to complete Mzirawayingwe Primary School whose construction started in 2018.
The legislator also focused on youth empowerment, with plans to utilize the Lunyangwa River for aquaculture farming and support 1,200 women in poultry farming.
He stressed the need for a modern market in Mzuzu City, with proper drainage and waste management systems, and urged the government to address the electricity gap in areas like Kanthete and Kaboko.
On healthcare, Kaweche highlighted the need for antenatal clinics with rapid ambulance availability in Kanthete, Chipambo, Kaboko, and Chiputula.
He also emphasised the importance of a proper drainage system to prevent flooding in Mzuzu City and the need for a modern airport replacing the current one.
“We need a real and modern airport, not the kind that we have in Mzuzu now. We will not support and tolerate if this government brings the same the way it is,” Kaweche said, expressing his disappointment with the current airport.
Kaweche concluded his speech by urging the authorities to prioritise the construction of a new, state-of-the-art stadium, citing the current facility which was constructed in 1970 and has the capacity of 15, 000, is inadequacy and poor condition.
He highlighted the poor condition of the existing stadium, describing it as outdated and unfit for modern sporting standards.
“The current facility can no longer meet the city’s needs,” he said, urging authorities to prioritise the construction of a new, state-of-the-art arena.
According to Kaweche, a modern stadium would not only enhance the city’s sporting infrastructure but also attract major sporting events like international matches, boosting the local economy and providing a much-needed recreational space for residents.
The Mzuzu Stadium is primarily used for football matches and other sports activities.
