DPP SG Mpepho says Malawi newspapers should sell in hell 

Democratic ProgressiveParty (DPP) wants to put a stop to what newly appointed Secretary General (SG) Francis Mphepo  called the newspaper madness aimed at discredit President Peter Mutharika and his administration.

Speaking on Sunday at Masintha Ground in Lilongwe during a political rally organised to welcome members of Parliament (MPs) and other politicians who have defected to the ruling party, Mphepo attacked the  Malawi media for what he called peddling of  “false stories” on the raging economic and political turmoil rocking the country..

He said the media in Malawi is not practicing professional journalism but bent on political propaganda for rating DPP poorly .

“You have been writing false stories that the Mutharika administration has failed to deliver on its promises. But is this really the case when the DPP administration is carrying out a number development projects nationwide?” querried  Mphepo.

His comments comes after the local press reported that  DPP is failing to deliver campaign promises and  asked the party explain the status of the pledges made for people to vote them into power. during campaign prior to the May 20 2014 tripartite elections.

But Mphepo said the media is too critical to the DPP leadership.

“Are you blind that you can’t see what the Mutharika-led government is achieving? If you have nothing to write in your newspapers, throw yourselves into the lake. You should go and sell your propaganda-ridden newspapers in hell,” Mphepo said.

Mphepo said Mutharika and his administration have lined up a number of plans to resolve the socioeconomic hardships Malawians are facing today.

The following are some of the major promises DPP made in the manifesto that ushred it into office:

• Complete construction of university campuses in Karonga, Mzimba, Nkhotakota, Mangochi, and Nsanje;
• Reduce presidential powers by empowering a special public appointments committee to handle the appointment and removal of top officials in various public institutions such as appointment and removal of the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi, Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
• Others were the Auditor General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Clerk of Parliament, Malawi Human Rights Commission executive secretary, the Malawi Law Commissioner, director general of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) director general, and that leaders of other accountability institutions shall be on merit through a special public appointments committee;
• In Chapter 4 (11) it emphasises zero-tolerance to corruption, fraud, theft and other economic crimes
• To implement recommendations of past constitutional reviews including the facilitation of revised Section 65 on crossing the floor and to bring back of Section 64, on the recall provision;
• Operationalising the Nsanje Inland Port;
• Abolish the coupon system for subsidized farm inputs;
• Make subsidised fertiliser available for every farmer who needs it.
• Cooperate with and collaborate with the civil society and non-governmental organisations and the media; Pass and implement the Access to Information Bill;