Delayed project riles Mzuzu youth

Youths in Mzuzu have expressed anger following government’s delays in constructing Mzuzu Youth Centre (MYC).

The youths also allege that the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is deliberately delaying the project to use it as a campaign tool ahead of the 2019 Tripartite Elections.

A visit by The Nation to the project site yesterday confirmed that construction works had stalled.

MYC construction committee chairperson Gibson Chisale in an interview said they are disappointed and angry with what government is doing on the project.

“We are tired of begging for development. It is now clear that the project is being politicised. We have had so many budgetary allocations, but there is nothing happening,” he said.

Another youth activist, Charles Kajoloweka, said government has for a long time taken youths of Mzuzu for granted.

“They should do the work and stop making noise about it. We are fed up with empty promises and want change,” he said.

When contacted for comment, Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development deputy director Judith Msusa asked for a questionnaire. But when a follow-up was made, she said she was failing to look at the questions due to Internet problems.

Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Francis Kasaila referred this issue to acting principal secretary Joseph Mwandidya who said he was getting into a meeting and could not respond to the questions.

In 2014, government under President Peter Mutharika allocated K200 million for the project. The centre was also allocated money in the 2015/16 National Budget, but government was not clear on the figure as it stated that the money was part of about K1 billion for remaining works at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe. n