Atupele says UDF supporting ‘Malawian agenda not personal one’

Malawi’s Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Atupele Muluzi, who is also president of United Democratic Front (UDF) has said he and the party are serving the people by supporting transformative leadership in working with the DPP administration.

Critics have accused Atupele of  selling the DPP agenda and sending UDF into oblivion but the minister has stated that it is a Malawian agenda not a personal one.

“Politics is a service, so it is not about personal benefits. We now have great opportunities to transform lives ,” said Atupele during an interview with one of the local TV stations over the weekend.

Atupele said he accepted to serve in President Arthur Peter Mutharika cabinet  n because he was inspired by Mutharika’s willingness to change the old ways of policy implementation.

He denied letting down the young generation that he excited during the campaign, saying, “The core values that I believe in are still intact.”

UDF leader in parliament, Lucius Banda on Monday also told Capital Radio that opposition role is not necessarily to take confrontation path.

“Politics of opposition anything for the sake of opposing has no value in the modern world. We will offer constructive criticism and as well suggest alternatives,” Banda.

Banda said UDF wants to contribute to national development by serving the people progressively than being adversaries to the powers that be.

University of Malawi political commentator, Simbarashe Mungoshi   of the Polytechnic said: “Normally, the trend in Malawi is that when smaller parties find themselves in a coalition with a bigger party, they get swallowed up.”

UDF spokesperson Ken Ndanga denied that the party will be swallowed.

“UDF cannot be swallowed. The governing pact between DPP and UDF is for the good of the nation,” he added.

Ndanga said UDF will oppose where necessary and would also be at liberty to support good policies.