Atupele tells large crowds in Lilongwe: ‘Vote for experienced Mutharika not leaner’

Atupele Muluzi, who is President Peter Mutharika’s running mate in the forthcoming fresh presidential elections, on Sunday drew large crowds during a whistle stop rally at Biwi Triangle in Lilongwe, urging people to vote for Mutharika as the only experienced political leader to rule the country.

Atupele, the United Democratic Front (UDF) leader, who is son of former president Bakili Muluzi, said he was pleased to note that thousands upon thousands of people had gathered at the Biwi.

“This is home ground. I stay in Lilongwe; my children go to school in Lilongwe. My mother [Annie] is from Lilongwe where I have my own field there and am a son of the soil in Lilongwe,” said the 41-year-old Minister of Energy.

He is running mate to Mutharika on Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket. DPP and UDF have formed an electoral alliance.

Atupele said Mutharika is the person Malawi needs to develop.

“Malawi still needs President Peter Mutharika to continue with the development drive for the country.

“He is the only experienced leader among all the presidential candidates,” he said.

“If you want your car to live longer, you don’t give it to a learner or else he will smash it,” he said.

He said the electorate should on July 2 not give “learner” the leadership of the country.

“We don’t give leadership to learners, APM is the only experienced leader Malawi wants,” he said.

Atupele said Mutharika deserves the votes for a second term because he has demonstrated that he is “the most patient person” he had ever seen in the past 10 years.

He said despite others promoting lawlessness and anarchy and even provocation, Mutharika remained calm.

Atupele said it was sad that some politicians have resorted to violence as a way of trying to take power by force and urged the youths never allow to be used by such greedy politicians as they will be left all alone once they are caught.

He also took time to urge Malawians not to allow to be divided by politics, religion and regions, saying Malawi is one regardless of political affiliation.

Citing his own example, Atupele said his mother is from Lilongwe central region while his father is from Machinga in eastern region but he married in southern region but his family settled in Lilongwe.

Malawi goes to polls on 2 July for fresh presidential elections following the ruling of the Supreme Court that upheld the decision of the Constitutional Court to nullify the May 21, 2019 presidential elections.

President Mutharika faces the highly competitive election ever as his serious competitor Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has nine political parties backing him whose leaders include former president Joyce Banda, vice president Saulos Chilima and former vice president Khumbo Kachali.

But Atupele said President Mutharika is set for another victory.

He said over the past 10 months, Mutharika has shown that he is a patient leader.

Atupele called on people to vote for their alliance because they are the only democratic parties in Malawi.