Give DPP ‘red card’, Mpinganjira tells Mulanje rally: Malawi 2014 polls
The foul behaviour of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) when it was in government deserves nothing less than a red card, hybrid politician Brown Mpinganjira said on Saturday at a rally in Mulanje.
Mpinganjira, who is national executive member of the governing People Party (PP) , passed the indictment when he spoke in a curtain-raising capacity at a development rally addressed by President Dr. Joyce Banda at Mendulo Catholic Primary School ground in the area of Traditional Authority Mthilamanja in Mulanje.
He said DPP must never again be allowed to govern this country because, by not taking responsibility for the political, social and economic atrocities it presided over during its time in power and blaming them on President Joyce Banda, its leaders demonstrate they are arrogant, not remorseful, without regret, unfeeling, and unrepentant.
“Let us be straight. The political, social and economic problems that this country is facing were authored by the DPP. This is a fact. It is their government that created the scarcity of fuel and forex.
“ Partly, this resulted from their decision to overvalue the currency for years coupled with their arrogance to our cooperating partners as well as human rights abuses that were festered by autocratic pieces of legislation that they enacted,” said Mpinganjira.
The founder member of the PP said it was therefore wicked for the DPP to pretend to be innocent when it joins the accusers of President Banda for the country’s problems which, inwardly they all know, she never authored.
“It is sheer wickedness for the DPP to be blaming you madam (referring to President Banda). They need to take responsibility for all the pain they caused to the people of this country,” said Mpinganjira, whole political oratory was hypnotising the crowds.
“Instead of pretending to be clean and seeking a return to power, DPP should apologize for the problems they created not only to the people of this country, but also our neighbours and our development partners,” said Mpinganjira.
BJ, as Mpinganjira fondly known in Malawi politics, said the DPP should be ashamed for causing almost hell to the presidency of Joyce Banda correcting the ills that the former ruling party created.
“Today, to the displeasure of the DPP and other critics, things have changed for the better. Fuel is back in our fillings stations. Forex is available. The economy is recovering. Prices of commodities are coming down. Our relations with our development partners and neighbours are warm again. This is what we know that you (President Banda) have done, and, we are assured, you will continue to do for this country. This is the reason people will retain you in power in 2014,” said Mpinganjira.
Commenting on the mantra that the DPP’s power base is among Alhomwe because its founder President and his successor are from the tribe, Mpinganjira said ironically Alhomwe never benefited from its rule.
“It is interesting that they claim that the DPP is a party of and for Alhomwe because, for all I know, this area (the Lhomwe belt) never benefitted anything.
“The tarred road that you see here was built by the UDF. The other roads and infrastructure actually deteriorated during the DPP. Therefore we have no reason here to vote for the DPP next year,” said the former parliamentarian of Mulanje Central.
In her remarks, President Banda said returning to power leaders and a party that brought the country to its knees is a mistake they should not make.
She said her administration has lined up people-centred programmes and that her administration must be given a fresh mandate next year to implement them fully.
