Professor Mutharika said this when he toured Cobbe Barracks in Zomba where he went to appreciate the challenges soldiers are facing and promised to look into their affairs.

“Many administration buildings and houses are in dilapidated state. Let me assure you that my government will start rehabilitating these buildings. We will and build more houses to accommodate all the men and women in uniform,” said President Mutharika.

The Malawi Leader said he was aware of the challenges the soldiers are facing at the barracks and ordered for the rehabilitation of dilapidated houses and administration blocks.

“We will construct a tarmac road from Msikiti to Changalume Barracks so that we can improve the road network. We have managed to construct many roads in our townships and nothing will stop us from honoring this promise,” said the Malawi Leader.

Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Commander General Griffin Supuni Phiri thanked the President for taking time to come and hailed the demonstrated commitment that he has in improving the welfare of soldiers in the country.

General Supuni-Phiri said the Malawi defence force has outlined a number of activities that include the construction of the Military Referral Hospital in Lilongwe whose ground breaking ceremony will be in October.

“Your Excellency, the hospital is not the only project we have. We have also a fleet of vehicles that we purchased and these will start arriving in two weeks’ time,” said the Commander in Chief.

President Mutharika then assured the defence force that his government will soon embark on a yearly soldier recruitment to add more numbers to the men and women in uniform. He also committed to buying new regalia for the army which includes combat boots.

Proffessor Mutharika and Madam Dr. Gertrude Mutharika then donated a cheque of K5 Million to the Women’s welfare of Cobbe Barracks.