Malawi Congress Party (MCP) deputy Secretary General Catherine Gotani Hara has appealed to leaders to treat northerners as first class citizens.

Hara said this yesterday at Mzuzu upper stadium during a Tonse alliance political rally.

Hara who is also the speaker of the National Assembly decries what she terms stinking regionalism in Malawi.

She said that the north is marginalized in many aspects, citing examples of projects that have stalled like construction of Mombera University, Livingstinia-Njakwa road, and several other projects.

Hara has also questioned why President Peter Mutharika has not visited the North since April last year.