APM campaigns for his ‘replacement’ in Thyolo East

President Professor Peter Mutharika has urged people in Thyolo East Constituency to vote en masse for Democratic Progressive Party-DPP parliamentary candidate Gerson Timothy Solomoni during the October 7 by-elections.

Speaking on Saturday during a whistle stop tour at Mikombe and Chimvuu Primary Schools as well as Chipendo Trading Centre in the constituency, Mutharika described Solomoni as a energetic and development-oriented youth needed to develop the area.

Mutharika was MP for the area from 2009 to March 2014 and retained the seat during the May 20 tripartite elections.

However, the seat fell vacant when Mutharika won the presidential race in the same election.

And as constituents go to the polls next week Tuesday, Professor Mutharika urged voters to elect Solomoni.

Although Solomoni has to defeat three other candidates to win next Tuesday, Professor Mutharika argued people in the area would lose a lot if they decided to vote for a non-ruling party candidate.

“If you vote for them, who will they be speaking to on how to develop the area? That’s why am urging you to vote for this young man Solomoni who will have easy access to me. Those others won’t have that chance to talk to me. I am ready to help him (Solomoni) to develop this area,” said President Mutharika.

He then warned Solomoni against dumping his constituents if elected into parliament on October 7, 2014.

“I don’t want an MP who will just live in Lilongwe and drink tea there; You should come here and discuss various issues affecting this area with the people, and drink thobwa (sweet beer) with them,” Mutharika said amid cheers from the gathering at Chipendo Trading Centre.

Professor Mutharika also outlined some development projects he initiated while MP for the area between 2009 and March 2014 like construction of over 7 schools and Technology-MUST and boreholes.

The president then assured people in the area of government’s commitment towards uplifting the lives of youths through initiatives such as Community Colleges expected to open doors in January 2015.

Other candidates in the constituency are independents January Chewasi Bwanali and Elishah Joel Milanzi as well as Malawi Congress Party-MCP’s Florence Chisanga.

Apart from Thyolo East constituency, the by-elections will also be held in Blantyre North Constituency and five wards namely; Zgeba in Karonga Nyungwe, Mbalachanda in Mzimba central, Lifupa in Kasungu west, Kandeu in Ntcheu North East and Lisanjala in Machinga Likwenu Constituencies.

Figures from the Malawi Electoral Commission-MEC indicate that 177,843 people registered for the October 7 by-elections.

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