Deputy Minister of Lands and Housing Hounarable Abida Mia has intensified campaign for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate for Nsanje Lalanje ward ahead of the June 29 by-elections.
Speaking when she held what could be regarded as her first campaign meeting at Sorgin Community ground on Sunday, Mia called on people in the area to vote for the MCP candidate, Abdulhackeem Annuary Hassan, to become a councillor for continued development in the area.
Mia said it would not be difficult for the MCP candidate to develop the area as the party has now formed government which is already carrying out a number of development activities in the country.
During the rally, the deputy Minister vowed to make the shire valley districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje a stronghold for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), a dream her late husband Hounarable Muhamad Sidik Mia had.
Her remarks come after Mia, alongside other MCP gurus, also campaigned vigorously for aspirant Nsanje North Enock Chizuzu and his counterpart for Nsanje Central, Kafanikhale Mandevana in another by election which was held in March this year. The MCP candidates ended up winning the seats.
“You remember what the DPP used to tell you when they were in government. They said you should not vote for us in opposition saying we cannot bring development in your areas. Now we are in government and you have seen a number of development activities that we are implementing. I urge you therefore to vote for our candidate if you want development in this area,” said Mia.
Mia’s remarks at the rally were shared by veteran Politician John Bande, Member of Parliament (MP) for Blantyre East who said it is difficult for an MP or a councilor who is in opposition to fulfill developmental projects in his or her area saying it is on that basis that he defected from the DPP to MCP.
The MCP campaign rally in Nsanje was also graced by Hounarable Elias Karim who is the MCP Deputy Director of research and the Member of Parliament for Nsanje North Enock Chizuzu who all advised the MCP ward council aspirant for Nsanje Lalanje not to neglect the people in his area once elected.
Meanwhile, Malawi Electoral Commissioner (MEC) Commissioner Ritchard Chapweteka who is on a campaign monitoring trail in the district has in a separate interview expressed satisfaction with the progress of the campaign period so far saying no incidence of violence has been registered unlike in the previous by elections.
Commissioner Chapweteka has however called on political parties including independent candidates competing for the upcoming by elections in the area to avoid conducting their campaign meetings near each other saying that could be a recipe for violence.
The by-elections in Nsanje Lalanje are to be held concurrently with that of Chikwembere ward in Blantyre North constituency and Nkhata Bay Central constituency.
