Atupele slams Joyce Banda on corruption: ‘Stop PR, deal with big fishes’
Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) 2014 presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi on Sunday said the Joyce Banda administration should not be allowed to rule the country beyond May next year because Malawians cannot trust them with the public purse.
Atupele said this at rally he addressed in populace Ndirande township in Blantyre.
Addressing thousands of party supporters who braved a heavy down pour, a visibly charged UDF party leader told the gathering it will be folly for Malawians to vote for People’s Party government into power next year in the wake of the cash gate.
“The People’s Party administration has failed to demonstrate that it can be trusted with public purse and therefore it is risky to vote for such a government next year, “said Atupele, who equally defied the rains to address the rally.
He said despite the economic crisis as a result of the cash gate scandal President Banda was only interested in propping her image abroad and not to get to the bottom of the matter, in the process shielding “the big fishes”.
“It seems she doesn’t care at all. To her it’s business as usual and that is why her priorities are to fly around the world in a chartered plane than to buy drugs for the hospitals,” said Atupele.
Tupelo’s tough talking comes after Peter Chinook, head of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Lilongwe, alleged President Banda is “part and parcel” of a massive fraud scandal that has rocked her government this year.
Chinook alleged that Banda’s ruling People’s Party had tried to siphon funds from the national purse to bankroll the party’s campaign ahead of a general election due next May.
He said the information had been passed on to a parliamentary panel investigating graft allegations that have led donors to suspend aid worth $150 million, amid calls for the government to make serious work of tackling corruption and restoring fiscal discipline.
But Information Minister Brown Mpinganjira rubbished the accusations as “not correct” and said they appeared to be politically motivated.
UDF leader insisted that Banda should deal with plunderers in the PP for people to take her seriously on the commitment to fight corruption.
Earlier Atupele addressed another rally in Bangwe Township. However, after the Ndirande rally Atupele walked with thousands of supporters on his way back home in Nyambadwe while it was raining causing business to a standstill.
Supporter the majority of which were youthful chanted all the way as he waved at them with one hand holding umbrella by himself.
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