By STEPHEN MUKOBEKO and JULIUS PHIRI –

IT is almost four years since the people of Malambo Constituency in Mambwe District in Eastern Province went to the polls to choose their representative in the National Assembly.
Again, it is two years since the High Court nullified the election of Maxwell Mwale as area Member of Parliament (MP) on grounds of electoral malpractices during the September 20th 2011 general elections, a decision which was upheld by the Supreme Court.
What this means is that the area has had no representation in Parliament for the past three years.
According to the 2010 Central Statistical Office (CSO) population Census, the district which is regarded a tourist attraction had a population of 47,376 people. Of this number, 28,088 are registered voters. Among the registered voters, 14,765 are females while 13,323 are males, forming 49 streams in 35 polling stations in the constituency.
It is not disputable that out of the 28,088 eligible voters, others have died while others have relocated.
The constituency which hosts the world renowned South Luangwa National Park is divided into 13 wards namely; Nsefu, Jumbe, Chipapa, Mphomwa, Chikowa, Mnkhanya, Kakumbi, Ntcheka, Malama and Mdima. Others are Msoro , Kasamanda and Nyakatokoli.
The constituency also has chiefdoms like Nsefu, Jumbe, Mnkhanya, Malama, Msoro and Kakumbi.
Unlike other areas, Malambo is not cosmopolitan as the majority of the people who have settled in the district are Kundas who are proud of their Malaila traditional ceremony.
Despite the area hosting the mighty South Luangwa National Park, it faces a number of challenges such as a bad road network, limited number of secondary schools, health posts as well as the human-animal conflict which has continued to be a menace to the residents of the area.
These and other challenges need a dedicated MP who would lobby and foster development in this valley constituency.
As a way of improving the lives of the people in the area, Government contracted Sable Transport and Construction Company Limited rehabilitated the Chipata-Mfuwe Road as well as the Airport-Cropping Road.
Mambwe is also well known because it hosts Mfuwe International Airport which has seen several heads of states landing for either private or official visits to South Luangwa National Park.
In an interview, former Mambwe District Commissioner John Chilowa said there was need to elect someone who would foster development in the district.
Mr Chilowa said being a son of Mambwe, he would like to see someone who would be elected as an MP tackle the problems besetting the people.
Four candidates will be vying for the seat during the by-election set for June 30th 2015.
The four political party candidates who on May 28th 2015 successfully filed in their nominations are Patriotic Front (PF)’s Jacob Shuma, Jairos Mchenga of UNIP, Florence Mayopa who is standing as an independent candidate and Peter Phiri who is being sponsored by United Party for National Development (UPND).
Mr Shuma of PF said he was headed for victory looking at what the ruling party was doing to alleviate the suffering of the people in the valley constituency.
He noted that his first priority once elected would be to encourage people who hail from the district but have moved to other areas to come back and develop the area.
Mr Shuma said he was aware of people who can contribute to the development of the constituency and wants them to channel their energy and resources towards improving the constituency, adding that, development cannot be taken to Malambo by him alone but needed concerted efforts.
“Together with qualified people that have left Malambo and the local community, we can develop this place because this is not a one man’s show as it requires collective responsibility,’’ he said.
He said the constituency was experiencing water problems which should be addressed quickly including what he called an unattended to issue of human-animal conflict.
However Mr Mchenga of UNIP observed that if he wins the election his first job would be to come up with ways of bringing development to the constituency.
Mr Mchenga said the people’s mindset must be changed so that they take responsibility of tapping into the abundant natural resources the area is endowed with.
He said people of Malambo constituency can only see benefits from what the area has if they realize the potential around them.
Mr Mchenga observed that people were not getting their share from the wildlife resources and it will be his duty to see to it that he works with Government to ensure resources are ploughed back to benefit local people.
Mr Mchenga accused all former MPs who have served the people of Malambo of having failed because there were number of problems that still needed to be addressed such as sharing the revenue raised from the area’s wildlife equitably.
Mr Phiri of UPND promised to give the ruling PF a good run for its money. He said he was well known by the electorate in the constituency.
Mr Phiri also brought out the issue of human-animal conflict which he said will be his priority if he wins and that it will addressed by working with the Government.
Ms Mayopa who is standing as an independent thanked her supporters for believing in her. She said her priority will be to start empowerment of people from the family level.
Ms Mayopa said families have skills but do not have resources. She said poverty could only be eradicated if people were empowered to use their skills.
She also said if given a chance to be MP, she would work on roads which she said were in a bad state, despite the constituency producing a lot of agricultural products.
Ms Mayopa noted that farmers were experiencing difficulties to transport farm produce to markets because of the bad roads in the constituency.
She also said if elected, she would use her experience of working with the vulnerable over the years to improve the livelihood of people in the constituency.
Yes, the people of Malambo have been given an opportunity to elect a person who will represent them in Parliament and it is hoped that they will made a wise decision.