Atupele snubs UDF over Malawi Govt pull out
Despite mounting pressure and threats from his party, Minister of Economic Planning and Development Atupele Muluzi has said he is not yet to leave government to join the other members of the opposition in Parliament as directed by the UDF’s national executive committee.
Young Muluzi, a Machinga North East UDF legislature said in light of the country’s economic woes it is not yet time for him to pursue any political ambitions but concentrate on helping President Joyce Banda to stabilize the economy.
“I don’t think this is time for political ambitions but build the country and move together,” said Muluzi, son to former head of state and UDF founder Bakili Muluzi.
Muluzi was answering a question during a news conference on his position following a recent UDF resolution that the party should pull out of government and join the opposition when Parliament re-convenes, as a way of repositioning itself for the 2014 parliamentary and presidential elections.
He called for the news conference to explain Malawi’s Economic Recovery Plan which government has formulated in order to stabilize the economy.
Prior to his appointment as minister along another UDF MP Ibrahim Matola, the young Muluzi, with his ‘Agenda for Change ‘campaign during the late Bingu wa Mutharika troubled administration has been one of the hopeful to lead the party in the forthcoming elections.
However, since his appointment he has been quite.
‘JB understand my passion’
Justifying his position Muluzi said even President Banda understands where his passion lies.
“I wouldn’t be sitting here today if she wouldn’t understand my position. I don’t think this is time for political ambitions but build the country and move together,” he said.
Muluzi described his working relation with President Banda as excellent and emphasised that his interest is for Malawi and Malawians.
“It is a great honour to serve my country as a minister. We have a huge challenge. We have serious problems in the country and we have to solve them together,” he added.
UDF moratorium
The UDF NEC resolved recently that come next sitting of National Assembly the party expects all its 15 members to relocate back to opposition benches.
The decision followed a report from the party’s Mangochi Central MP and party Chief Whip in the House Clement Chiwaya which indicated that the party is being overshadowed by the ruling
People’s Party to pursue its agenda.
And speaking to MIJ FM’s Democracy Forum program, UDF deputy spokesperson Ken Ndanga reiterated the party’s call for its legislators to revert to opposition benches.
He repeated the call on Capital FM Newstalk programme on Tuesday.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
