Ntanda Khumbanyiwa
* It is truly disheartening to witness the dedication of a young advocate, who spent eight hours articulating the pressing issues faced in her home area, only to be met with indifference from the Roads Authority
* Despite her efforts to bring her community’s concerns to light and submit a petition for change, her voice was overlooked and dismissed
By Duncan Mlanjira
The 2025 Presidential elections candidate, UTM Party leader, Dalitso Kabambe came across a public awareness video made by an activist in the Lower Shire, Ntanda Given Khumbanyiwa, who is on a very serious campaign in raising grave concerns over complete abandonment of road infrastructure in Chikwawa and Nsanje.
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Kabambe has thus exposed to the public one of the awareness videos Khumbanyiwa creates, in which she narrates the serious social and economic challenges that communities of the Lower Shire face year in year out.
With a strong passion, the activists highlights of the promise that President Lazarus Chakwera made when she visited the Lower Shire on February 19, 2024 where he pledged to facilitate the continuation of the East Bank Road, whose construction was abandoned.
Ntanda along the abandoned East Bank Road
She quoted the President as saying the East Bank Road would upon completion, be named as Gwanda Chakuamba Highway, in memory of the former political stalwart of the Lower Shire, who died on October 24, 2016.
She also reminds the President that he had pledged to name another road in the Lower Shire after late Sidik Mia, who died on January 12, 2021 due to CoVID-19 related illness.
He died while serving as Vice-President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and he also stood as Chakwera’s running mate in the 2019 General Elections before the re-run in which Chakwera chose Saulos Chilima as running mate in the Tonse Alliance arrangement.
Khumbanyiwa centred on the stretch of the Shire River, named Mtaya Moyo (suicidal attempt), where people dangerously cross it using canoes, and she explained that during the administration of Joyce Banda, she had facilitated construction of some semblance of a bridge.
But that too was washed away, says Khumbanyiwa and since then community members had no other option but to risk their lives by crossing it using canoes on the strong currents of the mighty Shire River.
Every year, she said, people lose their lives at Mtaya Moyo and when heavy rains come, it’s impassable to cross, forcing communities from both sides to be cut off in their daily business endeavors.
She and another community member, Stephani Tchaidi, a motorcycle taxi (kabaza) operator, highlighted the dangers of the abandoned construction of the East Bank Road, which is so rugged with protruding jagged-edged rocks, saying cars and the kabaza’s tyres always get cut and wear out within a few weeks after being replaced.
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A concerned mother, Caroline Piringu is captured attesting that a bridge along the road was washed away and when it rains continuously, traffic from both sides wait days on end for the water to subside.
Children from one side of the bridge fail to attend the community’s school for over a week or even up to a month when it rains incessantly since the only option is to wait until the flow of water subside.
The lady activist, Khumbanyiwa further highlighted a bridge at Bangula at what is known as Miseu Folo, which was washed away due to Cyclone Freddy, saying when the President was to visit the Lower Shire, the authorities built a makeshift bridge.
She bemoaned that it was unfortunate that once the makeshift bridge had served its purpose, it was once more abandoned such that after a few weeks, it was rendered impassable for vehicles — with the only option for motorists to divert on the dry river bed.
“People are now being attacked by thugs when using the river bed under the bridge,” she said. “Once the rains start, where do we expect cars to use? This is a death trap and yet this is a very important M1 Road which is used to transport various social needs of the people here in the Lower Shire.”
Another witness, Francis Mazinga narrated another stretch of the M1 Road that got washed away due to Cyclone Anna — located between Dyeratu and the trading centre named Domasi which is just before the Kamuzu Bridge.
He explained that year in year out, that stretch is always flooded but after it got completely washed away due to Cyclone Anna, works to repair it have always been makeshift.
He is captured in the video as motor vehicles divert from the main road and zigzagging from one side of the road to other as they head for the Kamuzu Bridge for Chikwawa and Nsanje and others to Blantyre.
He also narrated that once the stretch is flooded, motorists await at Domasi trading centre and others at Dyeratu waiting for the water to subside.
He also said the stretch is only temporarily worked on to just clear the bumpy diversions only when the President, or his deputy, visits the Lower Shire.
Kabambe posted the video on his Facebook page, saying: “It is truly disheartening to witness the dedication of a young advocate, who spent eight hours articulating the pressing issues faced in her home area, only to be met with indifference from the Roads Authority.
“Despite her efforts to bring her community’s concerns to light and submit a petition for change, her voice was overlooked and dismissed.
“This disregard not only undermines her commitment but also reflects a broader failure in our response to the needs of the community. It is a stark reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability in governance, and the need for authorities to engage meaningfully with those they serve.
“Lower Shire, I am coming to see you today,” Kabambe wrote on his wall some four days ago and on his return, he further announced of a ‘Operation Serve Malawi’ campaign, saying it is not just a campaign but a movement that calls upon every citizen “to take action for our future and the future of generations to come”.
“As we stand at a pivotal moment in our nation, the absence of true leadership has never been more pronounced,” he said. “Our beloved Malawi is grappling with challenges that seem insurmountable — a rapid decline in our social and economic fabric, suffering that burdens our communities, and a pervasive culture of corruption, impunity, tribalism, nepotism, and cronyism.
“But amidst this darkness, there shines a glimmer of hope — us. It is not only our right but our duty to serve our country, to rise above the chaos, and to reclaim our destiny.
Dalitso DK Kabambe
“Operation Serve Malawi is not just a campaign; it is a movement that calls upon each one of us to take action for our future and the future of generations to come.
The first and most crucial step in this transformative journey is to register to vote. This simple act empowers us to make our voices heard and to take control of our future.
“It is a declaration of our commitment to change, a stand against silence, and a promise to our fellow citizens that we will not let our home fall into despair.
“Once we are registered, we must unite and vote for responsible leadership — leaders who have a clear vision and a dedicated plan to rebuild our beloved Malawi. We deserve leadership that reflects our values, prioritizes our needs, and is accountable to its people.
“Let us encourage our families, friends, and neighbors to join this campaign. Tell them about the importance of their voices, the power of their votes, and the change we can achieve together.
“Real Malawians do not give up. We are resilient, and together, we can turn the tide. This is our home, our moment, and our future — let’s stand up for it.
Take this call to heart, and let’s embark on this journey together. Let’s hold hands and lift each other up, as we strive to heal our nation,” he said — while concluding by quoting former Vice-President and UTM leader late Saulos Klaus Chilima: ‘Mdima ungakule bwanji, kucha ndithu’ (no matter how dark the night might be, the sun will still rise).
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