Malawi ruling PP gurus attack Muluzi at JB’s Mangochi rally
At President Joyce Banda’s People’s Party (PP) rally on Saturday in Mangochi, top officials went to town attacking former president Bakili Muluzi and his son Atupele, who is opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate for 2014.
Kicking off the slurs was Member of Parliament for Mangochi South constituency Yusuf Matumula who attacked Muluzi, saying during his reign he failed to end poverty and to develop the country.
Matumula – who was dominating businesses and amongst the untouchables during Muluzi reign –said Malawians should not allow “another Muluzi” to rule the country, in apparent reference to Atupele.
He said PP is strong and can win Atupele’s Machinga North East constituency in a by-election if he were to succumb to “stomachache” – God Forbid!
Joining the attacking machine was Vice President Khumbo Kachali who declared that “politics has begun” and that the country should now switch into campaign mode, saying “there will be campaign without borders.”
President Banda who spoke in local Yao language, also joined the attacking spree by insinuating that Mangochi “should not be cheated by someone who does not come from the district or cannot speak Yao.”
Banda also traced her roots to Mangochi, saying it was her home. She said her father late Grey Mtila came from Mangochi.
Recently, during her food distributing exercise in Phalombe, President Banda traced her roots to the Lhomwe land, saying her grandfather a Thipa came from Phalombe.
As the PP brass were addressing the rally, Atupele who is Economic Planning and Development Minister in the Banda administration, was at nearby Kapoloma village where there were special rememberance ceremony of his grandmother who died recently.
His father, the former president had also arrived from South Africa where he was attending medical treatment.
Muluzi who arrived through Chileka Airport in Blantyre did not go to his retiring private BCA residence in the commercial city as he proceeded straight to Kapoloma where hundreds of somber villagers were gathering for the memorial of his mother, Gogo Chenalikusika.
The former president missed the burial ceremony.
Maize distribution
Speaking about her maize distribution exercise, President Banda said she had decided to give more food aid in the area and other parts of the country considering that some pockets were still reeling under severe food shortages.
“I will continue with the food for work programme so that people in the country can benefit especially those in rural areas,” she added.
President Banda also attacked the previous DPP government for not telling the nation and development partners about the hunger situation in the country.
