A traditional leader in Mafinga District in Muchinga Province has appealed to Government to address some of the challenges being faced by his subjects in the chiefdom.
Chief Mweniwisi Temwananji of the Lambia people in Mweniwisi areas of Mafinga district says lack of electricity has affected development in his chiefdom.
The Chief said absence of a mini hospital is another major challenge as subjects incur huge costs and long distances to acquire medical care services saying, the area has only one small clinic.
He adds that lack of a secondary school for children to receive basic education especially with the introduction of free education is a drawback and concern to the learners in the area.
The traditional leader said he is aware that constructing a secondary school requires a lot of money but instead lobbied for a 1by 3 classroom block to be built as plans to construct a full secondary school are being put in place in a bid to accommodate secondary school learners.
He said the community has already completed its 25 percent contribution towards construction of a secondary school in Mweniwisi through moulding of 45,000 bricks.
“What is remaining is for government to play its part and ensure that school structures stand,” He said.
Chief Mweniwisi Temwananji added that Isoka-Muyombe road is a death trap as it poses greater danger to the people in the district who risk their lives using the deplorable road on a daily basis.
“It is a death trap and I fear that the district will be cut off from the rest of the province as the rainy season approaches,” he lamented.
He said there is need to market Mweniwesi area for meaningful development to foster in the area adding that the three chiefs in the district, stand ready to work with the government.
Chief Mweniwisi added that the chiefs will ensure that all developmental projects that will take place in the district will be personally supervised by them.
The Chief made the appeal through the Bulambia Royal Establishment (BRE) Chairperson Dr Hizon Mulambia during the Chikungu traditional ceremony.
And in response to the appeals made, Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Henry Mukungule said most of the projects among them construction of a secondary school and a mini hospital are attainable through Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mr Mukungule said Government is fully aware of the many challenges the people of Mweniwisi face.
He said the construction of the 1by 3 classroom block should be prioritized among the CDF projects to be done.
He said the CDF is enough to accommodate the construction of the said classroom block, in order to allow the current grade 9 pupils not to be disrupted due to lack of a secondary school in the area.
” These pupils must further their education by giving them an opportunity to proceed to grade 10 next year ,through constructing the classroom block soonest,” He said.
The PS said education is a game changer and an equalizer which is why government attaches great importance to the education sector.
Mr Mukungule stated that education is the best tool that can be used to uplift the living standard of people.
He said it is only through education that the Lambia people can compete favourably on the country’s job market.
” I therefore, urged you all traditional leaders to encourage children in your chiefdom to get educated,” PS added.
He said the CDF has been increased to cater for most immediate challenges such as the secondary school among others.
M Mukungule said the cry of the people of Mweniwisi to have secondary school among other urgent needs through developmental infrastructure in the area will be presented before the President for swift action.
He said the people of Mafinga should not be left behind in the transformation agenda of the country.
The PS said government has plans to connect the district to the national grid as government is alive to the fact that the current power connectivity which is tapped from malawi is not reliable and can not accommodate the entire district.
He said Government is aware of the many other challenges that Mafinga district is faced with which will be addressed soon.
Mr Mukungule added that President Hakainde Hichilema continues to work with the traditional leadership because they are partners in development.
He assured the Chiefs in the area of Government support and ensure that the local people benefit from the many empowerment programs and the minerals available in the chiefdom.
And Mafinga Area Member of Parliament ( MP) Robert Sichinga says his office has taken note of all the challenges presented and act promptly on them.
Mr Sichinga further called for peace and unity to be anchored in the district.
He said all the processes to erect a secondary school will be done by Monday through the CDF.
He has since urged the Ward Development Committee to start planning and identifying projects that will be done in the increased 2023 CDF.
The MP has also called for the formation of many cooperatives for them to benefit from the increased K28.3 million from K25.7 million.
” I’m aware that the Government will next year construct 120 secondary schools in the country and I will use this opportunity to lobby for atleast one secondary school to be built in Mweniwisi chiefdom.
The Chikungu traditional ceremony attracted several government officials, chiefs , heads of Government and parastatal institutions and Mafinga residents across the district.
