Prof or no Prof, Malawians will decide next President in 2014 – Mpatsa
Malawians will be the kingmakers in the 2014 elections and not President Bingu wa Mutharika, business magnate and independent ex-presidential running mate Jimmy Korea Mpatsa has predicted.
Mpatsa, speaking on Capital Radio Straight Talk programme, was responding to a question by presenter Brian Banda on fevered speculations that President Mutharika is grooming his brother, Professor Peter Mutharika, to succeed him when his term expires in 2014.
He said Malawians would decide who would be their next leader and that no single person including the current President will be the kingmaker.
“The decision as who should govern the country rests with the people. Every Malawian is eligible to stand as a candidate. If the President wants his brother to stand that’s his decision. It’s up the people of Malawi to decide,” he said.
Pressed further to comment if the succession plan will work to Mutharika’s advantage, he said: “Brian you can ask me today to stand in 2014 as a presidential candidate. That is your decision. But at the end of the day what matters is what the people out there feel. They will ask themselves a question: is Jimmy Korea Mpatsa the right person to lead us.”
“The President can only suggest if he is suggesting, which I am not aware of, that his brother should stand for office that is the President suggestion. That’s his preferred candidate but it is up to the people of Malawi to decide whether Prof Peter Mutharika is the right candidate.”
He said the convention of Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) would be a primary test to choose a candidate and called on the President to level the playing field for other competitors within the rank and file of the party.
“What will be wrong is if the President made it very difficult for other candidates to participate in free and fair election at the convention,” he said.
Mpatsa also pointed out that the Bingu administration’s weakest link is “governance”.
“For example, you are aware that the DPP has not gone to a convention. Leaders are not elected. In a democratic society you have leadership elected by the people,” he said.
Mpatsa who is one of the founders of People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) said he would not be aspiring for political office because he is “back to business”.
“At the time I was leaving politics in 2004, I said I was taking a sabbatical from politics. It should have been the other way round. I took sabbatical from business, went into politics and went back into business,” said Mpatsa who describes himself as reasonably successful businessman.
He said he joined politics because there was vacuum of leadership in 2004.
“I have never had any problem with the past president Dr Bakili Muluzi but we just felt we could contribute to the development of this country—to encourage people into self-reliance.”
He was expelled from PPM after he contested in the 2004 election on an independent banner as a running mate to former vice-president Justin Chimera Malewezi.
“We had a vision to run this country and sad to say that vision will never be realized because we did not succeed. A lot of people felt we were a team that could have taken this country to another height,” he said.
Mpatsa maintained that he retired from mainstream politics.
“I have gone back into business. I am back in business. There are various ways of contributing to one’s country. You can either do it from the business angle or you can do it from politics,” Mpatsa said.
“We are creating employment in the country. we are paying taxes which is helping in the running of government.”
He, however, said government of Mutharika had been “reasonably successful”.
Abale aKweni alamulile ndani. malodza chani. Komatu aKweni sanasiyane ndi Mai wathu J.Hilda Banda. Ife kuno ku London azimai tikufuna ma guys atilamulilebe chifukwa choti aziMai ndi danger. Women are always fighting each other unfortunately at their own expense. If JB wants to be our President 2014 we can support her if she changes her attitude towards other women.
One thing that surprises me about women is that on this forum is that it is women who are in the forefront helping men, very positive about men issues, after that 3am on voting day they are the first ones to stand on the line. After that chonguu pa nkhope ya mzibambo kusiya azimayi. bwanji azimai anzanga. if it is about candidates, lets choose the write candidates but not women haters like auntie joy.
Kodi iwe Jemusi ukuti chiani za ejukweshoni ya a tsogoleri athu? When choosing a leader unfortunately kumudzi people dont care about education and that is where the majority is. they want to khalidwe la munthu. 2014 tiona zoopsya. Kaya che Peter kaya ndani ife we want someone who has the interest of Malawians at heart. Some of these people who are sympathy seekers like joyce banda ife yayi. She is self centered, always talking about herself. Abale K25million ndiyoyimila pachulu kuti ndapeza. If we want women, tiyeni tifufuze, koma mai joyce banda ndiye yayi!!!
Shaa! Komanso Kachelenga? Using your lhomwe argument ndekuti joyce banda wakoyo does not qualify to be president of Malawi. Nanga si achawa analamulira kale Malawi kudzela mwa Bakili Muluzi? Kagwere uko ndi kusowa mfundo kwakoko.
I am convinced that commentators of this forum sometimes choose to show more ignorance than intellect. I should have read comments on Peter and Jimmy, not Joyce.
In such cases one can only tell that we are going back to favoritistic, perhaps even nepotistic political desposition. I personally believe that K25 million can save tens of maternal women’s lives. Unless you do not understand the meaning of charity — giving to those you expect the least to give back — not the charity Bingu talked about in his “Charity begins at home” speech for the K3 billions youth fund.
Joyce is doing charity, at least for the moment, Bingu is thanking his youths for voting him into power. Just in case you are not women commenting on this forum.
Ife tikufuna lucias banda now he hav got a certificate.Peter aah tatopa nawo alomwewa
Abale. Tisachite nsanje. Muno mumalawi mulibe banja la anthu a nzeru ndi okhulupilika ngati la a Mutharika. Prof. ndi wa nzeru kwambili, ozindikila ndipo amadziwa malamulo. Tiyeni tonse timuvotele.
Ine ndikuti akamachoka Prof. Tisankhe mwana wake kuti atitsogolele. Banja la a Mutharika ndilimene lingatilamulile bwino kuno ku Malawi. Onse anaphunzila bwino, ndi anthu achikondi, odekha mitima ndipo oyanjanitsa mtundu onse wa a Malawi.
Wasoba, this is irony.
My friends who are Pro-Peter Munthalika, you are wasting your time. Peter is not a Presidential Material and that is a fact. Try to follow all his functions and put much attention to his speech. Of course Bingu was not able to speak, but at least he was able to say ‘Acheya Woyeeee!!!!’ and for peter is even worse. Apart from that, one of the requirement for presidency is that he / she must be a married person. Is peter married? Is he responsible man? Even reasoning is a problem to him, So pompous than his brother. KOMANSO UWU SI UFUMU AYI!!!!!!. Don’t waste your time again. 2014 KULI CHAPWA. ZITAWONEKE SINDIZO.
God loves Malawi. he managed to save us in 2004 why not 2014. tsogoleri alipo kale ambuye anamusakha kale.