Chilima assures of UTM victory in Malawi watershed polls

Vice President Saulos Chilima has assured Malawians of a UTM victory in the watershed May elections saying his partnership with Michael Usi is the winning tramp card.

Adressing a political rally at Bangwe Desert Ground on Wednesday afternoon amid throngs of animated people who braved continuous rain drizzles to receive his empowering message of hope, Chilima said with Usi as his runningmate the nation should be assured of victory at the polls.

Earlier in the day, Chilima had presented his nomination papers to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), and also unveiled Dr Michael Usi as his running-mate, at a ceremony which took place COMESA hall in Blantyre, as part of the process to avow his eligibility to contest for the highest office in the land.

Chilima said UTM is the only party in this country which has the most rounded and comprehensive social economic plan to develop and transform this country across all sectors.

“We have an overreaching plan, and our vision to uplift the livelihoods of Malawians is relentless because we understand the challenges that Malawians face. We cannot say things are working in this country when urban poverty is so rampant where people cannot afford a decent meal, let alone eat three times a day; we cannot say things are working in this country when families cannot afford decent clothing,” said Chilima adding that Malawians now have an opportunity to replace this government with one which truly serves them.
Chilima said he is convinced beyond doubt that Malawians have come of age and that they will not accept to be taken for granted this time around or to be hoodwinked by seasonal presentations by those who seek to continue plundering this country at the expense of taxpayers.

Said the Vice President: “UTM will zero in to arrest corruption and cronyism one and fall all because these are some of the vices that are unashamedly prevalent under this government and preventing us from making progress. We must not allow our destiny as a country to be held hostage by a few self-serving individuals because this country is for all of us.”

The Vice President  commended the Alliance For Democracy (AFORD)  and the Tikonze  Alliance  for  their support  and  for coming to  support UTM’s vision to drain the swamp  and recue Malawians  from the pangs of poverty, saying  that should be the spirit  as there is purpose in unity.

“I wish to  commend President of AFORD, Hon. Enoch Chihana  and leader of the Tikonze Alliance, Mark Katsonga Phiri  for buying into our vision and for supporting this drive whose purpose is to have a Malawi that we want; where there are opportunities  for everyone regardless of creed, colour or tribal extraction,” said  the Vice President.

He symbolically gave his UTM red beret to Chihana and put on Chihana’s blue cap to underline the forged unity.

Before Chilima spoke, the newly unveiled Vice President of UTM who will also be on the presidential ticket with him on May 21, Dr Michael Usi, said he has teamed up with Chilima because he believes “this is a higher purpose for us to serve Malawians”.

In his usual conversational like speaking infused with figures-of-speech,  Dr Usi said: “Time has come  for those who have neglected  you for the past four years to come back knocking on your doors  and  behaving like they have always cared about you. The truth is what they want is just your vote, after which they will desert you again until the next elections.”

He asked the people to grow out of the habit of voting into office self-serving people simply because they are kith and kin, but to scrutinise them based on their policies and capacity to deliver.

Among the people who spoke at Desert ground yesterday were Secretary General for UTM, Patricia Kailati; UTM Governor for the southern region, Steve Mikaya and UTM aspiring parliamentarian for the constituency, George Saonda.

Enoch Chihana also made brief remarks representing AFORD whilst Mark Katsonga Phiri spoke on behalf of Tithokoze Alliance.

Speaking earlier at the COMESA hall when he presented his nomination papers and unveiled his running-mate, Chilima said the socioeconomic challenges faced by people in Phalombe or Mulanje districts are no less than the challenges that Malawians in Dedza or Rumphi districts face.

He said poverty in Malawi is widespread and infectious across all districts which is why he has decided to pick “one of our own from UTM” as his running-mate because he believes that Dr Usi understands UTM’s vision and also brings to the table the relentless value leadership needed to develop this country economically and uplift peoples’ livelihoods.

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