It was a busy weekend for political party leaders and candidates who over the weekend held over 60 political campaign rallies to sell their manifestos to the 53, 000 eligible electorates in Karonga Northwest Constituency ahead of the March 30 by-election.
In an interview, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) team leader who is also deputy national director of elections, Alfred Mwenifumbo said over 25 political rallies were lined across the constituency to sell the candidate’s development plans for the area.
He said: “Our campaign strategy is weaved to reach everyone for them to make an informed choice on the polling day. During the week, Symon and Kendal crisscrossed the area with campaign songs that are also entertaining.
“We are telling people to vote for Daniel Mwanyongo Chitonya who is exposed to development partners and is determined to bring portable water, transform the road network and increase the accessibility of health care by constructing more health centres and turn rice and cotton farming into business”.
United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Bone Mwenindeka Kasunga held three rallies and two whistle-stop tours where he promised to turn the lakeshore district into a tourist attraction town by improving the district’s streets, markets, roads, and the drainage system.
“The infrastructures that UDF brought from 1994 are in a dilapidated state. One elected, I will restore the lost glory and make Karonga a Tourism Town,” he said.
On his part after conducting 12 political rallies, Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) national director of elections David Katete said his party is convinced beyond measures that come March 30, they will claim the seat that fell vacant after the demise of its Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Parliamentarian James Kamwambi who succumbed to covid 19 last month.
He said AFORD candidate Fwasani Silungwe is the only hope for the area, saying he has vast experience in social and community work having worked with various development institutions for over 27 years.
He said: “We are making progress and we are not intimidated by other political parties who are also in this game. We have brought in the competition that some politicians have resorted to issuing handouts to induce voters. But we will carry the day and give the development of the constituent”.
DPP’s deputy regional governor for the North said the 16 campaign rallies they conducted are enough measuring yardstick that has given them hope to reclaim the seat on March 30.
By Jordan Simeon-Phiri MEC Stringer
