Chakuamba’s replacement found, he is no friend of the DPP

The death of political gladiator Gwanda Chakuamba created a vacuum in the Lower Shire. But this will no longer be the case as a replacement has been found.

A newly formed pressure group called Shire Valley Political Giant Committee has endorsed politician for Nsanje South West Constituency Dr Joseph Chidanti Malunga as the Lower Shire’s political king (Mbuya).

This follows research students from Chancellor College and the group conducted in the two districts of Chikhwawa and Nsanje in January and February this year.

According to the committee’s chairperson Blessings Makuluni, the study disclosed that Dr Joseph Chidanti Malunga could replace Late Honorable Gwanda Chakuamba as a political giant locally known as Mbuya for the Lower Shire.

“We conducted research in January and February in all areas of Nsanje and Chikhwawa and from that research Dr Chidanti Malunga scooped 82 percent leading top out of the total eleven legislators for Malawi’s Southern tip districts,” narrated Makuluni in an interview with Malawi24.

“The title Mbuya in Lower states of Malawi is always given to a heavyweight politician and in this case Chidanti Malunga is the right heir for Gwanda Chakuamba.”

The firebrand legislator’s ascendancy to the helm is largely attributed to a bold stand he took by leading a joint parliamentary inquiry on Zambia-Malawi maize procurement scam which led to the firing of former Agriculture Minister Dr George Chaponda from cabinet by President Peter Mutharika.

Earlier before he dumped the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Dr Chidanti Malunga stunned the National Assembly when he brought before the August House ‘Water Lilies’ locally known as Nyika in the Lower Shire to show the magnitude of hunger situation in the region a development which did not go down well with the leadership of the party in the House.

In his reaction to the appointment, the Nsanje South West legislator said he is ready to take up the new post saying this is a clear demonstration that people have trusted him.

“I am greatly humbled with a new role I have been entrusted with by people from Nsanje and Chikhwawa. Of course it is a big task to have that position but with their support, I will continue fighting for the rights of people not only from Shire Valley but also the country at large,” charged Chidanti Malunga.

Late Chakuamba who died in November, 2016, was the first politician to be awarded the honorary title of Mbuya for championing the political rights of people in the country.