Rains disrupt Chakwera rally
A heavy downpour yesterday prevented Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera from addressing a rally at Zingwangwa Secondary School ground in Blantyre where the party held a rally.
Chakwera, who according to MCP officials has relocated to Blantyre to intensify the party’s campaign in the Southern Region, had just taken to the podium to deliver his speech when what started as a drizzle turned into heavy rains, forcing some people to leave the rally venue.
It resulted in a sea of faces in red MCP-branded T-shirts, berets and cloth drenched to the skin with optimism written all over their faces that the rally would continue despite the downpour.
Unceasing ululation from MCP women and the sound of the beating drums reminded people of the old Kamuzu Band days.
The rally was the epicentre of various activities the party held in Blantyre which included a youth conference followed by a march on the streets of Blantyre earlier on.
But the gathering, which had promised to be eventful with MCP vice-president Mohammed Sidik Mia setting the tone with scathing attacks on the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, ended prematurely as Chakwera left the venue despite calls from some party supporters to address them.
MCP officials said Chakwera’s speech would be recorded and be distributed through the media.
In his address, Mia said the country was sailing through turbulent times and needed a leader who would redeem people from economic mismanagement.
He said: “People are experiencing tough life. Utilities such as water and electricity have skyrocketed but the services remain poor. There are many people who are still using unsafe water sources in urban areas.
“The economy is in shambles too and the people’s only hope is the MCP. That is why we have recorded a huge support base, especially in the Southern Region as people are tired of lies.”
Chakwera arrived at the rally alongside his two vice-presidents Mia and Harry Mkandawire as well as secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka and campaign director Moses Kunkuyu.
A group of the party’s shadow parliamentarians and councillors were also present in addition to parliamentarians Richard Chimwendo Banda and Jessie Kabwila.
Addressing the crowd earlier, the party’s director of youth Chimwendo Banda called on the DPP government to address the plight of civil servants to alleviate their suffering.
He said: “As the youth, we had our meeting where we agreed to push government to raise civil servants’ salaries to reflect the rising costs of fuel which leads to inflation. We are also for an audit of money that is remitted to the Pension Fund. We are aware that some of this money has not been accounted for and, as such, we demand that the government should quickly address this matter.”
On his part, Mkaka blamed the government for what he described as ‘cheating’ of voters by increasing electricity tariffs while increasing load shedding hours. n
