Malawi needs a generational change of leadership, Atupele tells Dedza rally
United Democratic Front (UDF) 2014 presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi says Malawians need a generational change of leadership and not being taken backwards.
Atupele told a crowd of thousands that turned out on Thursday in Dedza for a whistle-stop meeting on his way from Blantyre to Lilongwe where he will be attending budget session of Parliament starting Friday.
He said new UDF’s Agenda for Change campaign has been boosted with the launch of Jubilee Movement, a grouping the party said is set to champion transformation change.
“Some will resists change but they can’t stop it from coming,” the UDF president told the energetic crowd.
“We are going to make Malawi a better place, change is coming,” said Muluzi drawing the most thunderous response from the crowd, which erupted into chants of ‘Atu! Atu! Atu!”
He said part of the problem the country was not developing is because the nation has continued to recycle for the same tired leadership who should now pave way for the new generation.
Muluzi said the movement is a revolution which aims to make people’s aspirations and dreams a reality by making Malawi a food-secure nation, providing high quality education and good health care, among others.
He also disclosed the party will be holding its two-day policy conference next month, saying Malawians should submit ideas on the economy, governance, social protection, peace and security.
The UDF president said the submissions would guide and direct core discussions at the policy conference.
“After the policy conference UDF will now be releasing its electoral pact with Malawians in terms of policies and visions. We need to be consultative and let the people speak out,” he said.
UDF Secretary General Kandi Padambo who describes Atupele as “the real deal” for Malawi said the conference would draw on presenters and participants across Malawi and beyond with specialisation in areas of political and economic analysis, religious and civil society organisations as well as the media and traditional leadership.
He said the conference would look at issues such as education, health, agricultural productivity, tourism, manufacturing, job creation, transport and infrastructure development.
On governance, the conference would discuss the areas of transparency, accountability, rule of law, corruption, political participation, aid effectiveness, self-reliance and press freedom.
It will also tackle other areas such as mining information technology, water and sanitation, private sector development and export diversification.
Other issues will be on education, health, agricultural productivity, tourism, manufacturing, job creation, transport and infrastructure development.
