By Iommie Chiwalo
Citizens are now awake, they know that development is a right and not a privilege and they have since stormed Parliament to deliver their petition on the status of Nkando – Mulomba Bwanaisa road.
In the petition, the citizens say are concerned with the status of the road because it is one of the most strategic road as it connects to the main roads of Phalombe – Chitakale and Mulanje – Limbe (Robert Mugabe highway).
In the petition, it is indicated that citizens have decided to approach Parliament for they have tried several efforts in seeing the road upgraded through their respective Parliamentarians.
“We have been requesting our members of parliament to ask government to construct a tarmac road on this road, but instead the road is always graded every year, due to frequent grading the road has sunk down yet the area is flat with clay soil and swampy in the rainy season making it impassable,” reads the petition.
On economic front they have indicated that this is a challenge to the farmers and business operators who use long routes to get to Blantyre to buy or sale their merchandises.
Socially, school children and teachers have also been affected since are unable to go to school during the rainy season as the road becomes impassable hence affecting the quality of education in the area.
“Most teachers who are posted to schools along this road are reported to turn down the postings. And as if that is not enough most patients lose their lives as they cannot access health services at the health centres at the right time,” reads the petition.
The petitioners say is saddening because this is happening despite that members of parliament for, Mulanje west, Mulanje North and Phalombe South constituencies where this road is passing requesting for a tarmac road and it was put in 2019 – 2020 budget.
“Your petitioners respectfully and gracefully request that the honourable assembly assist us in asking THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS to construct a tarmac road on Nkando – Mulomba Bwanaisa Road in the coming 2023 – 2024 budget,” reads the petition in our possession.
 The road in question starts from Nkando through Mulomba to Bwanaisa which is under National Roads Authority number T413 approximately 52 kilometers. It serves about 200, 000 people from the following TAs, Mkhumba, Kaledzera, Nkanda and Juma, most of which are farmers and business people.
In related development, residents from Namame at Manje in Blantyre have thronged Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) Power station offices at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre demanding restoration of electricity supply.
The residents who marched from their area to the offices say their transformer developed a fault in October 2022 leading to intermittent power supply until it exploded on January 6, 2023.
“We have been living in darkness since then. We have been engaging them through our committee and they promised to install a new transformer by Tuesday this week but they never did. We are not leaving this place without a new transformer,” said one of the residents Lucy Lamusi.
The residents, some with mud on their faces as a sign of sadness, are chanting songs expressing their frustration.
There is heavy armed police presence at the scene.
You have been voting for your DPP but you’re now complaining about poor roads, even now you’re castigating Chakwera. Change your mindset for things to turn around for you.