An MP has issued an urgent plea for government to bring an abandoned tobacco market back to life, warning its closure has left communities languishing and workers idle for the best part of a decade.
Mzimba West MP Ackim Kumwenda used his time in Parliament to demand the reopening of the Kabwafu Satellite Tobacco Auction Floors, insisting the facility's closure back in 2018 has devastated local communities who once relied on it for their livelihoods.
The MP painted a bleak picture of the fallout, revealing that countless people who had settled in the area specifically to work at the auction floors have been left with nothing to do since the doors shut -- sending their socio-economic prospects into freefall.
Kumwenda pulled no punches in calling on the Ministry of Agriculture to act swiftly, urging officials to engage directly with tobacco buyers, producers and other key stakeholders to thrash out a plan for reopening the market as soon as possible.
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He argued the move would be a lifeline not just for the abandoned facility itself, but for tobacco farmers across his constituency and neighbouring areas, who have been left without a reliable local market for years.
Responding to the MP's impassioned plea, Minister of Agriculture Loza Mbirizi revealed that government is indeed weighing up whether to reopen the Kabwafu floors -- with officials viewing it as a potential solution to mounting problems plaguing the country's tobacco trade, including the worrying rise of tobacco being smuggled across the border to neighbouring countries.
Mbirizi stopped short of committing to a firm decision, insisting government would first need to consult widely with relevant stakeholders before pressing ahead -- as part of a broader push to strengthen Malawi's tobacco marketing systems and guarantee farmers reliable access to markets for their crops.
The revelation will offer a glimmer of hope to communities who have watched the once-bustling auction floors sit dormant for the best part of seven years, with many now desperately hoping government finally follows through on reviving the facility that once formed the economic backbone of the area.
