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Featured » National » Politics
JB warns violence perpetrators to be prosecuted in future
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By Lusubilo Sichali, Nyasa Times |
October 2, 2011 · 48 Comments |
PP's top brass: Clara Makungwa, Brown Mpinganjira, husband to PP president Richard Banda and Joyce Banda. Photo: Lusubilo Sichali/Nyasa Times
At exactly half past one in the afternoon on Saturday, state vice president Joyce Banda took her seat at Masintha Ground where her newly-registered People’s Party was being officially launched in the central region.
When she took to the podium to address thousands of enthusiastic supporters, most of whom clad in the party’s official orange colours, Banda sternly warned perpetrators of state-sponsored violence “today” that they risk being brought to book when government changes in not too distant future.
The state vice president advised the youth, particularly those from her party, to desist from acts of violence, saying they risk being prosecuted while leaders that send them “enjoy tea” in the confines of their homes.
“Those that indulge in political violence today are known and a day will come when they will have to account for their unfortunate and brutal conduct,” she said, amidst loud applause.
Malawi has experienced a spate of politically-motivated violent acts, which have included the torching of a civil society leader, Reverend MacDonald Sembereka’s house in Balaka; offices belonging to Institute for Policy Interaction of Rafiq Hajat in Blantyre; and a house belonging to PP’s organizing secretary, Salim Bagus in Lilongwe.
In a more recent incident, Robert Chasowa, a fourth-year engineering student and political activist who was found dead under suspicious circumstances at the Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi, on September 24, 2011.
Chasowa was the vice-chair of a student activist group, Youth for Democracy (YFD). The YFD printed a weekly pro-democracy and anti-Bingu wa Mutharika administration newsletter called the Weekly Political Update.
Faults Government on tobacco prices
On agriculture, Malawi’s economic mainstay, Banda is squarely blamed government for the unprecedentedly poor tobacco prices in the country in the past two years, accusing the Bingu wa Mutharika administration of pursuing unfavourable agricultural policies.
Banda said the prevailing average price of 40 cents per kilo on auction floors was unheard of, particularly during the reign of Bakili Muluzi and his predecessor Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
“They blame it (low prices) on worldwide anti-smoking lobby but I have always argued that tobacco in the neighbouring countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe continues to fetch better prices than in Malawi. Is the anti-smoking lobby only targeted at Malawi? No, no, we must revisit our policies on the whole matter,” Banda told the huge gathering.
But offered her self to find solutions to the low tobacco prices phenomenon, noting the most of present most top officers in the Mutharika administration had spent many years outside the country may not quite conversant with the problems and possible solutions for the tobacco industry and agriculture at large.
“If you claim that the tobacco market is shrinking, send me, I’ll find alternative and better markets elsewhere,” said the first woman vice president in Malawi, attracting a deafening applause from her supporters.
Banda also said when the forms the next government in 2014, it would pursue deliberate policies to diversify agriculture, as agriculture was not only about farming.
She hinted that mechanization would be also be vital to ensure that farmers harvested enough for food and for sale, arguing the traditional hoe farming was both archaic and tiresome.
She promised she would facilitate the provision of small tractors that would be distributed among villages across the country and that they would be used among smallholder farmers, which she said would allow for speedy cultivation of various crops.
On the new flag, which bears a full sun, the VP said her party would bring back the old flag, which bore a rising sun “as Malawi has not fully developed as claimed by the authorities”.
Khumbo Kachali
Speaking at the same function, PP vice president Khumbo Kachali said although president Mutharika excluded Banda from the new list of cabinet members “opting to include his wife instead”, Banda remained the constitutional vice president of Malawi.
Khumbo Kachali: Addressing supporters. Photo: Lusubilo Sichali/Nyasa Times
“Nothing has changed, Madame Joyce Banda remains the vice president even in the light of bedroom appointments,” Kachali said, attracting a loud applause.
Apart from the speeches, the occasion was also spiced by a disco performance, choirs and traditional dances that included Chiwoda, Ingoma and Gule wa Mkulu.
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Tags: Joyce Banda, People’s Party
48 Responses to “JB warns violence perpetrators to be prosecuted in future”
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Ndiye ndidzamve kuti ntaba,dausi orkaliati mwansakha tidzadana mai,anthu akuti pp ili ndi marecycled politician ndi company yanji ingatenge muthu opanda expnce.olo nation team mukatenge midzi imenye ndi bafana mungawine olo draw popanda achina fisher?nenani ina ife wathu ndi JOY yemweyo anamusakha ndi kakamuzu kanuko wo o o
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ReplyI think these politicians around the world are just messing us up. Why can’t we just try our own local leaders like the Paramounts, Igwe, Kings and others? I think we can easly normalise things if we can take this idea.
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ReplyULEMU KWA BAMBO WA FUKO LA MALAWI RETIRED CHIEF JUSTICE RICHARD BANDA.
This is what we will be saying in 2014.
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP YANYAMUKA
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ReplyMore fire Joyce Banda. Amayi woyeee. Dont be moved with what Kaliati, Zikhale, Wakuba, Ntaba, Dausi, Kanyumba are saying about you on TV. It is a sign of defeated and afraid. Go Joyce Banda Go Amayi woyeee, PP woyeee. Wina aphuluka, koma wakomoka kale. You are not a recycled politian. You are a queen of all women in this coutnry. Go JB Go. JB moto – moto
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ReplyA Joy omwewo kuti wa!wa!
Ndakwera yanuyo mai tiye nayeni binngu wakuphayu
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Replywe r tired of old ppl who offer nothn bt fibles,we nid new blood nt u old ppl. let alone the young generation to rule this country nt u,shutup n go 2 hell. the future of malawi z in the hands of the young generation as stipulated by the world bank. joyce band! we stil remember w@ u said last campaign,watani lera pliz leave the youth to take the mantle ok! we nid nyondo or atupele nt u old guards. long live malawi.
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ReplyAs the saying goes, “the more things change the more they remain the same”, these people should stop taking Malawians for granted. There is no hope in these people. They told us the opposite of what they are cheating us today. They are the same people, recycled, without vision and wanting to waste our time. Why didnt they champion the so called “change” when they were at the helm of the Ruling Parties both in UDF and in DPP? Please give Malawians a break. We need new ideas and new people and not these being paraded donning the orange colours.
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ReplyTiye JB, kaliati ndi ntaba pamodzi ndi big kahuna akumva kuwawa.Tiankwezule ta chi police timene tikulemba some of these stories natonso tikuopa their jobs are on the line when you take over.Viva JB viva tiye we’re behind you.
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