Atupele, Matola explain to UDF supporters on cabinet posts
Lawmakers for United Democratic Front (UDF) Atupele Muluzi and Ibrahim Matola at weekend engaged the party supporters in the eastern region to explain their political stand after being roped in President Joyce Banda’s Cabinet.
President Banda leads People’s Party which is now a defacto governing party.
Banda, who ascended to power on April 7 following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika, appointed Muluzi as Economic Planning Minister and I Matola as Deputy Environment and Climate Change Minister and some MPs from other political parties as well.
Atupele told supporters that he has not defected to PP remains in UDF, saying he is in cabinet to assist Her Excellency Banda run the country.
“President Banda has formed an inclusive government. We are there to help Malawi but remains a UDF MP,” said Atupele.
He said UDF will continue providing checks and balances to the government and will continue rebuilding to contest the 2014 tri-partite election.
Matola said it was important to help government rebuild where late president Mutharika had left Malawi in a worse economic record.
He also insisted the UDF membership will not be tampered, saying the President consulted the party before making the appointments.
The party’s Secretary General Kennedy Makwangwala confirmed that President Banda consulted the party secretariat, saying “we thoroughly discussed the appointments and agreed to allow the members accept .”
Makwangwala, however said, despite the party’s decision to allow two of its legislators to be in cabinet, they will not make a mistake again to go to polls without a presidential candidate.
He said the party is planning to hold a convention between September and November this year.
Meanwhile, UDF appointed Mangochi Central legislator Dr Clement Chiwaya as its leader in Parliament, replacing Matola.
Machinga South MP Harry Kamba has replaced Muluzi as deputy leader whereas Mangochi Nkungulu’s Mahamudu Lali is the new party whip. His deputy is Machinga Central East’s Ernest Yahaya.
