UTM spokesman Malunga assures Nsanje constituents of better development

Communities in Group Village Headman Nsilanga under Traditional Authority Malemia in Nsanje can breathe a sigh of relief following their Member of Parliament’s promise to construct a clinic and drill two boreholes this financial year.

Member of Parliament for Nsanje South West, Dr. Joseph Chidanti Malunga  – who is also spokesman opf United Transformational Movement (UTM) – made the pledge Tuesday during an interface meeting with the constituents organized by Nsanje District National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust.

The constituents told their legislator in the face that they have been carrying patients on stretchers to the hospital when they fall sick, which is a distance of more than 10 kilometres away.

“Life is not easy here at Nsilanga. The health facility we go to when we fall sick is at Chididi Mission which is a long distance. As you can see, this area is very hard to transport a sick person to the facility.

“For your information, we have been carrying sick people to the hospital by head. This is so because if we use motorcycle taxi, they charge us over K6, 000. Now, looking at our economic status, we cannot afford to cough such an amount to get medical help.

“We are experiencing this because we do not have a health facility within reach. Therefore, we need your hand on this,” said Harrison Nyawoko in the face of DMalunga while others clapped hands in support of the sentiments.

On his part, Group Village Headman Nsilanga said apart from the issue of a clinic, the area also faces acute shortage of safe water. He claimed that communities share water sources with animals.

“Since independence, our area has had no safe and potable water. We are drinking water from unprotected sources which we share with animals. Even pupils from this primary school, Mwanambweri, where we are meeting, have to run down to the stream to fetch water,” the local leader said.

“Therefore, we are happy that you are here at last. We have numerous challenges, but consider us on the issues of a clinic and provision of safe water,” pleaded GVH Nsilanga.

In response, Malunga said he was aware of the challenges the communities were facing in the area. He assured the communities that this financial year, he would initiate the construction of the clinic at Nsilanga in addition to drilling two boreholes.

“Let me assure you that this financial year, I will make sure that a clinic is constructed and that two boreholes are drilled using constituency development fund,” assured Malunga.

Nsanje NICE District Civic Education Officer, Kondwani Malunga (not related to the MP) said the interface meeting they organized had potential to bear tangible fruits as evidenced by the commitment made by the Member of Parliament.

“As NICE, we are very satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. The communities asked us to facilitate the meeting with their legislator,” he said.

“This meeting has given the communities the opportunity to talk to their MP on a number of development issues. This is what we call good governance, which as an institution we do promote,” he added.

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