Atupele to address SA business captains on Malawi ‘transformation’
Malawi youthful presidential candidate for United Democratic Front (UDF), Atupele Muluzi has been invited to South Africa to address the business captains on “the future of Malawi’s Political, Social and Economic Transformation”.
This will be the third time for the UDF leader to address a high level South African business forum. In 2012 during the reign of President Bingu wa Mutharika he was invited under the auspices of the African Heritage Society (AHS) where he was also presented with an award for leadership.
UDF deputy publicist Judith Ngwira in an interview with Nyasa Times, disclosed that Atupele leader is making this trip ahead of his regional and international tour as he prepares to contest Presidential elections in May.
In his speech which Nyasa Times has obtained, the UDF leader is expected to assure the meeting that should the UDF be voted into office in May it will not be ‘business as usual’ in terms of the management of the economy and that he has a unique policy platform under the Agenda for Change that is guiding the formulation of his party Manifesto and involves two key tenets; Inclusive Growth and Governance.
His address begins with an outline of Malawi’s immediate challenges and states that his priority if elected to office would be the stabilization of the Malawi economy in order to attract foreign direct investment, growth and as well as protecting its poor.
“The state has failed to stimulate inclusive growth and to manage the economy.”
“There is an urgent need, therefore, to cautiously restructure our economy in order to stimulate growth and create an environment that breeds sustainability and confidence. In order to achieve this, Malawi must create wealth for its entire poor people,” he argues.
Jobs Plan
The UDF leader will make the point that “the most effective weapon in the fight against poverty is the creation of decent work for all, especially the youth.”
He will continue to state that “creating inclusive wealth for all Malawians rests on our ability to provide an enabling environment for this to happen. How will we do that?
“First, by creating opportunities for investment in our key growth area. This is an area where as a country we have comparative advantage against which we will throw all our weight behind in order to create a new wave of jobs.”
“Secondly,” he stresses “we will ensure that we generate the confidence of the private sector to invest in small, medium and large scale initiatives, particularly within the identified key growth area so that we ensure that as a Nations we are able to employ a targeted approach as to how to focus and direct resources.
“In this way we will be able to ensure that all development efforts are hinged on the need to promote progress in the key growth area
“And by providing the appropriate skills to all, especially our young men and women we are assured that they are able to get decent jobs in a market friendly environment. “
Alongside his jobs plan Atupele proposes that not all are capable of gaining formal employment, therefore his party has developed a social protection plan that will take care of most vulnerable, whilst also guaranteeing them equal access to basic services such as education and health as well as other social services.
This plan of action it states is aimed at addressing not only income poverty and economic shocks, but also social vulnerability.
Governance
On governance, the UDF leader promises that under a new UDF administration there will be discipline in the management of its public purse in a manner that will force it to spend on the right priorities.
“This means that we will reform our governance system, to ensure that those in leadership positions recognize that it is in both their and ordinary Malawian’s interests not to abuse state resources and that doing so will attract punishment.”
“Under my administration, Malawians will be able to see and question exactly where every one of their kwacha is going. I will ensure that our scarce resources will reach the people who most need it.”
The UDF leader is expected to arrive back in the country on the 15th of January, according to his party’s deputy spokesperson.
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