Malawi clean-up exercise rolled countrywide

Malawi has rolled up the  newly launched national clean-up initiative countrywide with Ministers deployed in all districts to officially initiate the campaign which President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera launched last Wednesday in Lilongwe to curb littering and promote cleanliness and safe environments.

First Deputy Speaker of the Malawi National Assembly and Mangochi Mkungulu legislator, Aisha Mambo Adams of United Democratic Front (UDF) declared herself Clean-up Initiative Ambassador for Mangochi effective Friday, November 13, 2020.

Adams volunteered herself for the role during the joint official launch of the Mangochi district council and Mangochi municipal council Clean-up Initiative that was held at the main roundabout on the Mangochi-Monkey Bay Road.

She said the Clean-up Initiative that President Chakwera launched in Lilongwe on Wednesday should be taken seriously and that it should cascade to community and household levels.

“I am an Ambassador for Girl Education, the role I was given by Plan Malawi, but today I am giving myself the role of Ambassador for the Clean-up Initiative in Mangochi,” said Adams, who was guest of honour for the municipal council event.

She added: “But this is not a task I can do alone, let’s work collectively to have a new and clean Mangochi in this new Malawi.”

The Mangochi Mkungulu Parliamentarian also bemoaned continued use of thin plastics despite the existing ban and she urged the police to help in enforcing the ban.

UDF Member of Parliament for Mangochi South, Lilian Patel, who was co-guest of honour for the district council, also expressed concern over littering and use of thin plastics and she called for mindset change.

Patel appealed for establishment and implementation of special by-laws on littering and that those found in the wrong should be punished accordingly.

“In our days we used to carry baskets whenever we went shopping but nowadays people go shopping empty-handed knowing they’ll get a plastic bag right at the shop or at the market,” said Patel, and she continued: “This has to stop because we are destroying the environment with the plastics.”

Speaking on Friday in Mwanza when she led residents in sweeping and cleaning the public places to set an example, deputy minister of lands, Abida Sidik Mia appealed to citizens and relevant stakeholders including local councils should take it upon themselves to ensure that the objective of the exercise is attained.

Mia said  President Chakwera launched the campaign to ensure the country has sustainable environment management and waste disposal systems.

“ I think we have switched the mindset and as a country we will move to zero tolerance to litter,” said Mia in an interview with Nyasa Times.

“We need to keep our villages, towns and cities clean and hygienic,” said Mia.

She said President Chakwera is urging women and the youth to explore ways of extracting value from the waste products  with  business potential .

Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako, speaking in Nsanje District on Friday when he presided over the official launch of the district’s Clean Up  said: “This is the time to develop our country through different initiatives such as Clean up initiative. Time of politicking is over. Therefore, let us join hands in this initiative and make Malawi a better place to be.”.

Kazako said waste management has become a huge challenge in recent times in the country and the new government cannot create a meaningful new Malawi if sound waste management is not part of the new Malawi.

He then advised people to work without expecting anything provided it brings them the right health.

“I am sure that every Malawian will participate in the clean-up initiative. They should know that having a clean environment is a good motivator,” said Kazako.

Nsanje District Commissioner, Dr Medson Matchaya, tasked the traditional leaders to ensure that the designated time for the clean-up initiative are observed in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

“I am expecting that chiefs and traditional leaders will take a leading role in making sure that people are taking this exercise seriously,” said Matchaya.

Presidential Advisor on Sports and Arts, Lucius Banda, says clean-up day in the country should be a wakeup call for citizens to take full responsibility of the environment they live in.

Banda who was speaking on Friday when he presided over the launch of clean-up day at Balaka Upper Stadium said it is very pathetic to see people within the town littering everywhere.

“Let us be responsible citizens by emulating what the President did. If Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and his Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima spared their time to sweep, who are we not to,” said Banda

Chairperson for Balaka District Council, Councillor Michael Chauluka, described the launch of clean-up day as very vital, saying it reminded people on the need to play their roles in order to keep the district attractive.

Kasungu municipal council also launched a clean-up day  at an event that was graced by Kasungu North East legislature Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Halima Daudi pledged to rally behind the campaign by rolling out various projects aimed at elevating living standards of people across the country’s local councils.

“Our ministry will facilitate environmental friendly activities in rural areas and we pledge to support the sustainability of these activities in all local councils,” she said when Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima officially initiated the cleanup campaign in the populous Ndirande Township in Blantyre City.- Additional reporting by Martin Chiwanda, Louis Kumchima, Kondwani Magombo -Mana

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