Ben Phiri touts Mutharika-Atu, says voting MCP is assault on democracy in Malawi

Minister of Local Government and Rural  Development, Ben Phiri said Malawians should not make a mistake of voting into power a party which voted against multiparty democracy in 1994.

Phiri, who is also director of elections for  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was speaking this on Sunday in Neno during a whistle stop tour at Neno boma, Zalewa, Kambale and Ligowe in the district where he was campaigning for re-election of President Peter Mutharika who is a candidate for DPP-UDF alliance.

According to Phiri,  Malawi Congress Party (MCP) which is leading the  Tonse the grand  opposition alliance do not form any democratic principles that can govern a democratic country like Malawi.

“In as far as democracy is concernedduring under one party system there was no room for democracy at all, people’s rights were infringed and there have never been a time that MCP came and denounce the same,” said Phiri.

“They told us and preached that democracy will bring war in Malawi. True to their word we have seen that after elections they started pulling down different structures in town, true to their word that the democracy will not work because in democracy the will of the people must be respected,” he added.

Turning to the party’s agenda Phiri said DPP government is aware that the main challenge of people in Neno is poor road network and he has promised that a Chinese construction company will soon be in the district to start the construction of a durable tarmac road from Neno boma going to Sangano where they will connect with another road being constructed by Malawi Defense Force from Sangano.

But MCP spokesperson Reverend Maurice Munthali said the remarks by Ben Phiri are senseless and irresponsible because it was Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda who accepted multiparty democracy in Malawi and he had all the power to say no.

“Kamuzu was the one who ushered democracy in this country by allowing people to choose if they want multiparty or one party and he accepted defeat evenwhen the votes were not fully counted. What sort of democracy do you want to see if you don’t regard Kamuzu as a democratic by offering Malawians a chance to choose?” asked Munthali.

“if we are talking of MCP which was killing innocent people they are no longer in the current MCP regime most of them belong to DPP party,” added Munthali.