Aspiring parliamentarian for Zomba City South, James Mpunga, said he will open a technical and vocational centre in the constituency once elected as a legislator for the area in the 2025 parliamentary elections.
Mpunga, who will stand on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket, observed that a lot of young people have no jobs after finishing their education, and this is the reason he thought of providing an opportunity for young people to learn technical and vocational skills for economic empowerment.
The aspiring candidate, who once worked as Director of Health Services in Chiradzulu, Machinga and Karonga and later TB Control Programme Director, also pledged to establish health clinics in the Zomba City constituency to reduce the walking distance for people who go to Zomba Central Hospital for medical services.
On education, he said he would discuss with the Ministry of Education the construction of a secondary school in Mbedza Ward apart, promoting sports by constructing a youth centre that will allow young people to play football, volleyball, basketball and other sporting activities.
“I will also want to introduce to women to go into business as we know that wine constitutes a larger percentage of our population.
“Women are more vulnerable to poverty because they mostly take of children,” he explained.
He said he would discuss with the police to introduce a police unit at the Mitekete area to intensify security in the area.
On food security, he said, he will soon distribute relief maize after realising that some households sleep on empty stomachs.
One of the youths, Peter Diverson, said what Mpunga said was timely as most of the youths in the area lack the skills to secure employment.
