After its President Saulos Klaus Chilima launched the party’s manifesto on Saturday, UTM party on Sunday launched the manifesto at district level.
In Karonga, the event took place at Nthambo primary school ground in the area of village headman Mchenjero in Paramount Chief Kyungu.
Unveiling the manifesto at the event, national executive committee (NEC) member Rabson Shaba said the party’s leadership decided to take the manifesto launch to the people at district level as it believes that UTM belongs to them.
Shaba said this is the more reason why the manifesto’s program agenda is aimed at uplifting the ordinary person’s wellbeing in terms of economic empowerment through job creation and revolving fund for loans with soft interests to better people’s living standards.
Shaba further told the gathering that it is only UTM that will scale up livestock production which will see districts such as Karonga exporting livestock products such as hide, milk and beef thereby earning a modest living.
“I am here today to unveil our party’s manifesto that has been tailored to benefit all Malawians from Chitipa to Nsanje, from Mchinji to Mangochi. For example here in Karonga, we will make sure that we use the fresh water from the lake and pump it into tanks that will be placed upland, we will be treating it before supplying to schools, hospitals and people’s homes.
“We will revamp the agriculture sector such that cattle farmers here in Karonga will be exporting beef, milk and hide just like Botswana,” he said.
Added Shaba: “Through this manifesto, we will also protect the people of Karonga from miners who most of the times explore our minerals without giving back to bonafide owners of the natural resources. Miners will be required to plan for school blocks, health facilities and potable water so that we as owners should also benefit.”
On education, he assured people that once UTM is voted into power, the first assignment will be to abolish quota system, saying it was introduced with an aim of segregating a certain section of people in society.
Taking his turn, regional treasurer Lusubilo Kamwambi urged the people to vote for UTM candidates who will bring development in all the five constituencies and 10 Wards, giving an example of the 50 year old school that hosted the manifesto launch as a sad structure as it has no office for the headmaster with no desks in classrooms whose floor was not cemented.
“Use May 21 to bring change in this area by voting for Florence Nthakomwa, a woman who will bring electricity that will ease the distance for women who walk long distance going to the maize mill.
“Above all, she will bring potable water by drilling boreholes within reach. She will make sure that each and every health facility has a maternity wing. She will also promote and empower her fellow women and the youths to be financially independent,” Kamwambi said.
In her remarks, shadow Parliamentarian for Karonga Central Florence Nthakomwa appealed for support from chiefs and all electorates if the area is to register meaningful development, saying she will introduce vocational schools for the youths to reduce the high unemployment rate in the area.
Nthakomwa said once voted into power, she will also empower both women and men economically by introducing a revolving fund that would help people engage in small scale businesses.
