Egenco partners with NPC in launch of MW2063 outdoor media visibility exercise

Information Minister Gospel Kazako cutting the ribbon to officially launch the media popularisation exercise

* As part of the media popularisation, NPC is flighting adverts through national and community radio stations

* As well as through newspapers, TV stations, on online publications and social media platforms

By Duncan Mlanjira

The National Planning Commission (NPC) has launched the MW2063 popularisation campaign through roadside media billboards at a ceremony held at Thabwa in Chikwawa District on Friday, which was sponsored by Electricity Generation Company (Egenco).

This was Egenco’s contribution to the country’s long-term national development blueprint to chart development pathways for the next 42 years, which was launched by President Lazarus Chakwera on January 19 this year.

Egenco plies its business in Chikwawa District through Kapichira Hydro Electricity Power Station — thus its decision to partner with NPC to sensitise the public that the national development blueprint is for the participation of everyone under the theme “creating an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation” by the year 2063.

The ceremony was graced by Minister of Information Gospel Kazako, who told the gathering that the MW2063 agenda is to empower Malawians to be self reliant and inspired them that they should never lose hope in the transformation journey but to participate in the vision’s implementation.

Kazako applauded NPC and Egenco for the outdoor popularisation campaign, saying it was very important that the MW2063 should be well marketed so that its implementation should be smooth.

He implored on the public that communities develop through the participation of its people while the government comes aboard to complement their efforts as it is being done with Chikwawa through road rehabilitations and other projects.

Currently, the government has some road projects targetting Chikwakwa through construction of tarmac roads from Thyolo to Fatima, Thabwa to Fatima and Chikwawa to Mwanza that should help in the implementation of MW2063.

Chikwawa is an important agricultural district through cotton farming, sugar production by Illovo, cattle and goat ranching and national electricity generation through Egenco.

The government is implementing the Shire Valley Transformation project for Chikwawa farmers to practise winter farming using the mighty Shire River, which is one of the pillars of MW2063 on agricultural productivity and commercialization.

Present at the ceremony included NPC Director General Thomas Munthali; Egenco CEO William Liabunya; Paramount Chief Lundu; Member of Parliament for Chikwawa North Owen Chomanika and several other dignitaries.

Paramount Chief Lundu said he was grateful that NPC decided to launch the country’s development vision for the next 42 years in Chikwawa and implored on the authorities to translate the same media visibility into changing the livelihood of the people in his area and the country as a whole.

In his remarks, NPC’s Director General gave Paramount Chief Lundu the assurance that MW2063 aims at transforming the country, including Chikwawa District in the 3 pillars that include agricultural productivity and commercialization as well as creation of secondary cities and tourism hubs across the nation.

He assured the gathering that the MW2063’s first 10-year implementation plan is in advanced approval stages that puts forward interventions and strategies to meet two important milestones — to graduate Malawi into a middle-income economy by 2030 and to accelerate the achievement of most of the sustainable development goals by 2030 as the last decade of action.

As part of the media popularisation, NPC is flighting adverts through national and community radio stations, the newspapers, TV stations as well as on online and social media platforms.

Egenco’s Liabunya said they decided to be part of the process through the Chikwawa visibility taking cognizance that this is the district they ply their business in.

He said they had to partner NPC because reliable electricity generation is one of the agendas of MW2063 in industrialisation and disclosed that they are currently working on producing electricity through solar power in Salima to complement their hydro production at Kapichira, Nkula and Tedzani.

In the MW2063, Chikwawa and Nsanje form part of the Beira Corridor transformation through rehabilitation of the rail system from Limbe to Marka in Nsanje, with Bangula as the first port for land transportation of goods and services — passing through Chikwawa and Mwanza as well as Mwanza to Lilongwe through Neno up to Tsangano Turnoff.

Munthali implored on the people that the MW2063 will work as long as the citizenry develop themselves in their homes by investing in their children’s academic needs, who in turn will assist in the implementation of the MW2063.

He signed off by reiterating his belief, that “those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it. The Malawi we want is possible and will happen — but it begins with you and me”.