TOURISM ATTRACTION AND INDUSTRIALIZATION ONGOING PROJECTS IN MADISI, DOWA AND SANTHE, KASUNGU AREAS

In line with Malawi 2063 Vision, Citizens of Madisi and Santhe areas are experiencing different ongoing tourism and industrialization projects run by private individual, Dr. Napoleon Dzombe CEO of Mtalimanja Holdings.              

Malawi 2063 vision highlights the privatization of tourism attraction and industrialization as a pillar of achieving an inclusive wealthy and self-reliant nation. It says through tourism and industrial activities, Malawi will be able to generate foreign exchange through exports of products made at industry level and from tourists. There will be also employment creation and contributing to the economy of Malawi. This is the same to what Dr. Napoleon Dzombe is doing in this tough period Malawi is facing of economic crisis due devaluation of Malawi kwacha.

To ensure tourism attraction in Madisi area specifically Mkanire Village, Traditional Authority Kayembe, He has built a Hotel called Kalipano hotel and artificial lake called Lake Dzombe next to it. People from different areas in Malawi and others from outside Malawi are now coming and enjoying different services at this hotel such as accommodation, conferences/meetings, restaurants, bars and boat riding on the artificial lake during public holidays, weekend holidays or just to have fun within the week.

                                                                                                                                             

                           Kalipano hotel 

           Lake Dzombe

Dr. Dzombe with Maya Wode, a Guanaian YouTuber

Speaking during the opening ceremony of Kalipano Hotel in August last year, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera appreciated what Dr. Dzombe is doing. "Tourism is about giving visitors new and number of experiences away from home. There is no doubt that Kalipano hotel will offer new and number of experiences that will enhance forward as Pioneer in investment targeting rural Malawi" He said in a speech. He added by encouraging those people who have potential to copy what Dr. Dzombe is doing to develop rural communities they are connected to. He also appreciated the partnership that he has entrusted with public sector by allowing Sunbird to run the hotel breaking the belief that public sectors are not trustworthy and not good at business.

Nowadays Mkanire Village cannot be seen as rural area anymore but something semi-urban area as people are able to find jobs, access to good road which was constructed when he was making artificial lake and fish ponds, access to electricity which will be given to surrounding people soon and increase in sale among owners of local businesses. Through constructed road, people are now able to access essential services such as healthcare and education. Local businesses are now making more profits than before from visitors who spend money on accommodation, meals and other services leading to improved living standards and ensure flow of income in the community. This will reduce urban migration there by minimizing population in urban areas and pressure on natural resources.

In addition to Kalipano Hotel, Dr. Dzombe has also brought in the community Camels as one way of attracting visitors. Tourists have a chance to see these animals after enjoying different services at the hotel. These animals are not dominant here in Malawi making interesting to visitors.Some people around Mkanire area have been employed as managers to take care of these animals. Citizens of this areas said, having hotel, artificial lake and camels close them is an enjoyable thing making them to settle there, because they can access jobs and during the rainy season when the lake flooded they are able to catch different fish species including Chambo which they can sell and use as food in their respective homes.

                        A picture of camels

A visitor taking photos with one of the camels

On the other side, he has built production industry in Santhe area of Kasungu. The industry consists of different plants such as Rice processing plant, Peanut butter production plant, flour production plant, and cooking oil production plant. Dr. Dzombe said in a conversation with Ghanaian You Tuber, Maya Wode that the project will benefit surrounding people through job creation, value addition and market access. Under value addition he said farmers in this area and from parts of other districts like Dowa and Lilongwe are expected to bring their crops like groundnuts, soya beans, rice and others buy them and process to finished products for himself and for the farmers who wishes not to sell them, to increase export availability of food for local consumption. This is reflecting to Malawi 2063 Vision, which says Malawi will pursue an industrial revolution driven by strong human capital and utilization of local resources.

       Infrastructures of production plants 

     View of rice processing plant

Dr.Napoleon Dzombe encourages Africans to come together and actively participate in sustainable development by utilizing local resources and coming up with something new that can be exported and used for local consumption and become independent at the end of the day. He also recognized Africa as a site full of opportunities and there has to be togetherness, putting much effort on hardworking and come out of dependent life rather having big houses while not yet reach to that stage. He also encourages graduates from different universities more especially agricultural institutions like Bunda College to involve themselves in transforming agriculture sector by putting skills and knowledge they learnt from school into practice. Through this, productivity will increase ensuring availability of crops and animals to be used in different industrial production of law materials and finished products. In addition to that, he said for one to put things into context, has to move abroad as he did more especially to those countries that are developed, to experience different development projects, grasp skills and knowledge and practice it to their respective homes.