By Synd Kalimbuka
People from Zomba Malosa constituency have named their Member of Parliament ‘Good Samaritan’, saying she has been reaching out to vulnerable people in the constituency.
Grace Kwelepeta has since been given that name after reaching out to different levels of people including elderly, needy primary and secondary school children, nursery kids, and the youth.She has also been commended for her leadership style which involves different structures when it comes to Implementation of activities related to them.
Chairperson for Malemia Youth Network Christon Chipala described Kwelepeta as a person who has heart to help someone who is really vulnerable using personal resources.
For example, he said the Parliamentarian has supported nursery schools and kids with teaching and learning resources to seal the gaps which were previously affecting the early childhood education.
“She has been supporting nursery schools with food stuffs to make sure kids gets nutritional supplements while at the Community Based Child Centres (CBCCs),” he said.
In addition to that, he said the Lawmaker has reached out to primary school learners with different support.
“Kwelepeta has been using personal resources by to support primary school learners with school uniforms to make sure they are not chased away. She uses Community Based Organisations (CBOs) to provide clothing materials to produce uniforms for the learners,” said Chipala.
Chipala said her stylish kind of leadership has also impressed people in the community saying involvement of youths, CBOs, chiefs, development committees and religious leaders at any level of development is what people were previously lacking.
Emily Mtukula is one of the elderly persons from Assan village in the area of Traditional Authority Malemia in the district who in the first place proposed the name ‘Good Samaritan’ be mentioned when referring to Hon. Kwelepeta.
Gogo Mtukula said lives of elderly people in the area are now better off following kind of support received several times from Kwelepeta.
“We are now able to point and shine that we have our own good Samaritan in the area who hears us. We were looking for such kind of leadership in our constituency,” she said.
She added that through her, elderly people are wearing good zitenje, washing and bathing with soap provided by her and receiving several support which she uses her personal resources.
Senior Chief Malemia expressed gratitude to hear people in the area giving testimonies on how their Member of Parliament is teaching out to vulnerable people.
Chief Malemia said calling Kwelepeta a Good Samaritan is a sign of how someone is performing.
“What people are saying by describing our MP is really true based on how she reaches out to vulnerable people in the community, and I cannot contrary view to what they say,” said chief Malemia.
He further advised Hon Kwelepeta to continue performing well so that people in the constituency should continue giving such kind of good testimonies about her.
He also encouraged her to continue involving all stakeholders in the implementation of development activities saying has promoted transparency and accountability.
Kwelepeta has repeatedly said that she has passion to improve welfare of all people in the constituency.
She told Malawi24 that she is humbled to be called by that biblical name of Good Samaritan because that’s what people have seen in her.
“I always promise people what I can manage to do. I don’t believe in promising things I know I will not make them. I hope this is why people have decided to call me by that name,” she said.
She added that she believes in sharing any little bread God has given her with less privileged people.
Kwelepeta further urged people in her constituency to join hands, work hard and participate in all development activities in order to transform the area together.
