President Joyce Banda has pledged a state-of-the-art Chiromo Bridge
in Nsanje which would ease mobility challenges faced by people
travelling between Thyolo on the one hand and Nsanje and Chikhwawa on
the other end.
People were forced to use local dugout canoes when crossing the place
which was also known as Mtayamoyo ( death trap) since the main bridge
was washed away in the 1990s.
Speaking during a political meeting after officially opening a
temporary bridge, President Banda said time has come for rural people to
be provided with modern infrastructure projects including bridges.
President Joyce Banda samples Ntayamoyo bridge at Chiromo in Nsanje. The place had no bridge for 17 years
She expressed sadness over loss of lives through drowning as people tried to cross the river.
“It is painful that people in the area were dying due to lack of the
bridge which would have been constructed some years back by the previous
two regimes”
“I felt sad to meet a mother who complained to me that she lost her
son who was a bread winner for the family after drowning at the place”
Banda bemoaned.
Banda also challenged politicians to make use of the country’s
abundant human resource to benefit rural communities across the country.
“I instructed the army to immediately erect a temporary bridge here
at Chiromo as government would be constructing a state-of-the-art bridge
using financial resources from the Japanese government.”
“Let’s make use of our sons and daughters who have various skills to
bring a real transformation amongst the rural communities like the
construction of a bridge here which would greatly significantly improve
mobility amongst people in Thyolo, Nsanje and Chikwawa.”
She therefore disclosed that government is currently in discussion
with the Japanese government on the construction of the bridge.
During the meeting President Banda also vowed that she would continue
implementing development programmes targeting the rural areas across
the country.
This comes against the recent condemnation by the opposition
political leaders and civil society leaders who are questioning her
continued visit to various rural areas where she is implementing social
projects targeting poor households.
And speaking during a political meeting in Nsanje, President Banda
disclosed that she would continue visiting rural areas to appreciate the
challenges rural people are facing.
Speaking earlier, senior chief Lundu commended President Banda for
the construction of Chiromo Bridge which was washed away some seventeen
years ago.
“It has taken you two years to construct the bridge which others
failed to do when they were in power. This makes you so unique as you
are able to appreciate the challenges that rural people are facing in
their day to day lives. This makes you deserve another five year mandate
so that you would be able to develop this country.”
Meanwhile, senior chief Lundu has donated her old house to government to be used as a health centre for the area.
His new house according to Minister of Lands and housing Henry Phoya
has been constructed by government through the Malawi Housing
Corporation and Illovo Sugar Company.
