Chimulirenji fails to inspire confidence in maiden rally: DPP running mate politically deficient
Perhaps the grumpy faces that some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gurus wore when President Peter Mutharika announced little known Everton Chimulirenji as his running mate were justified.
The DPP gurus’ fears of a misfiring running mate were confirmed on Sunday afternoon when Chimulirenji failed to impress during his maiden rally as DPP presidential running mate held on Sunday at Ntcheu Old Bus Depot just over a week after his appointment as Mutharika’s running mate.
Just like a week ago at the presentation of nomination papers at Comesa Hall in Blantyre, Cabinet ministers Henry Mussa, Samuel Tembenu, Bright Msaka, all favourites to be picked by Mutharika as running mate sat there in Ntcheu mouth agape and arms akimbo.
Chimulirenji will be one of the hardest candidates to sell if DPP is to return to power in the watershed May 21 elections.
He failed to connect with the people as his speech was far from impressive.
Chimulirenji laboured to make points but all that came out was his gratitude to ‘Pulofesa’ meaning Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika for taking him as his running mate.
Said Chimulirenji: “Ine ndi akazi angawa a Pulofesa adanditumiza kunja ku Ejipiti kwa mwenzi umodzi ndi hafu. Ndidzawathokoza a Pulofesa ( The President sent me to Cairo on education visit. I stayed there with my wife for a month and a half. The President has also been assigning me on foreign trips for political missions.)”
He promised that he will be a ‘loyal’ Vice President and will not ‘misbehave’ and be in conflict with the ‘Pulofesa’.
Chimulirenji said his nomination as runningmate has been received well by all people in the party including the Lhomwe belt who are believed to have opposed his nomination.
“When Professor was sending me outside the country or appointing me as deputy minister of defense, were there not Lhomwe peope around? Lhomwes and us Ngonis are cousins,” said Chimulirenji.
Chimlirenji s shrugged off those speaking ill against him on among other things that he is not a right candidate because he is infamous and uneducated.
He glorified Mutharika as a “visionary leader who has developed rhe country in the abscence of donors.”
Said Chimulirenji: “I accepted wholeheartedly to be his running mate. I have heard some people ridiculing me.”
He was apparently referring to stories that he can barely read and speak English fluently and that the party gurus are discontented with Chimulirenji, there is now a strong underground reaction to undermine him though publicly they will claim to show support.
At attempt was made by DPP Regional Governor for the South Charles Mchacha to bring in a Bible verse about Chimulirenji’s nomination as having being prophesied in the bible but it was a disaster.
“The David bible story indeed happened but the verse is not correct, ” said Msaka to the bilwiderment of the DPP supporters.
Perhaps the only positive thing that Chimulirenji did was not to castigate other opposition leaders especially Vice President Saulos Chilima who also hails from Ntcheu.
Governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali told Nyasa Times that Chimulirenji speech at the first rally which was live on Times TV, left a lot to be desired.
“To say the least, it did not inspire the much needed confidence in the public. The DPP running mate spent much time praising Mutharika fir his appointment and promising he would not betray him.
“However, the only positive in his speech was his ability not to attack other politicians with insults. That’s the only thing one can take home otherwise his speech was empty,” said Munthali.
He said in the build up the elections, DPP will need to acknowledge that they have public speaking deficits in Mutharika and Chimulirenji and hence need to use orators like Uladi Mussa.
“Such they need to have a good back up of individuals in the party who are blessed with such skills to be able ti sell their manifestoes during political rallies. Otherwise, simply relying on the two may be recipe for disaster.”
Mzuzu-based political commentator Emily Mkamanga said in her published column that for the sake of winning the election, party members look forward to a credible choice of a running mate who should be a good alternative to the president, “not a mere puppet”.
She stated that Mutharika’s running mate is not well known nationwide compared to some senior Cabinet ministers.
“One cannot be completely wrong to suggest that the delay in coming up with running mate is likely due to the fact that presidents hate the idea of having a deputy. Therefore, they had to take time looking for puppets or ‘yes bwanas’. What is needed is that the presidential candidate and his running mate must be equal in all spheres to complement well in serving the country. This habit of having a President who goes outside the country and fails to handover power to his deputy must come to a stop. Malawi is not a personal property of a President,” pointed Mkamanga.
In Mutharika’s own words, he picked Chimulirenji because the Ntcheu North East legislator knows the roles of a vice president and a deputy president unlike, and by implication, an affront on all other DPP top brass which were expected to be running mates such as Kondwani Nankhumwa, Msaka, Goodall Gondwe, Samuel Tembenu and Henry Mussa.
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To the writers of this story they have goofed so much. We watched it live on Times TV. Hon Chimulirenji wasspeaking In Chichewa and polofesa is the true Chichewa , like the way we say “ Adokotala,”. “ANesi” there is nothing wrong with that. If you paid attention, you heard him saying that he is there to help Prof Mutharika to continue with development. What touched me so much is that this man is humble and the bible says” God resist the proud ,but raises the humble”. He also answered to those who crutis him that he doesn’t know English. He mentioned that he has been to Egypt , he has been to other nations and as Minister , does he execute his duties in Ngoni? Envy will not help you the writers. Do you have ambitions one day to reach higher goals , like Liwewe, shakar etc. Malawi is a pathetic country, where journalists are not independent but party reporters.
Well done for not attacking others. At least this was a good example to follow and you can teach your colleagues something. But no lhomwe is a cousin to ngoni kkkkk. Nice try but aks pulofesa next time and to write your speech becos you cannot praise pulofesa every rally bwana
we the voters we are ready. inu
He looks sincere and for that i love him. All the best Mr VP in waiting.
Rinningmate si president ayi so parties do sell the president and not running mate. you will see all the running mates do speak highly of their bosses(presidents). This is what they say: Ï urge to vote for so so so meaning the president”” they dont say vote for me (running mate)
CHIMU – says “from this rally our next rally will be in the central and then the north, ah sorry nankhumwa called me and told me the next rally should be in the south, kkkkkkkk this fool is already fast becoming everybody’s puppet eti!!!!!!! amalawi are you seriousplease????
I am one of the people who was there mmmmm guys this guy is good and he is going to be the good VP we have never hard.
if the DPP wins that is!!!
Get used to it, he will become your VP [ and then State President] and there is nothing you can do about it
Did anyone count how many times he said “ a polofesa”??? The whole speech was loaded with “ a polofesa this and a polofesa that followed by DPP woyeee every other minute😀😀😀😀😀😀
kkkkkkkkk !!! Mbuzi yomwe yalemba article iyi is very dull. Everyone was happ and chimulirenji is a very good communicator. Opposition iiwale zowina ma election a 21 May.
kkkkkkkkkkk
Chimulirenji speech was IIMPRESSIVE. Mumaonera speech yake itI? Ali bo Chimulirenji – with fundo. Mvahiwa nayo.
Please SKC mentor Chimulirenji to be a good orator..pali ganyu apa.am not impressed.Evem DPP fellows calling him Overton.He is Everton
In other language when you meet a person who does not speak English just say Ntulikumanya kizungu. And when Kamuzu mbumba went to UK were given t-shirts written Illiterate on it, meaning they dont speak English. DPP woyeee
kkkkkk koma abale a nyasatimes musiyeni munthu apume. Yes i agree with you, his speech was not that impressive even to me as a die hard member of DPP. But honestly speaking that can also be justified, Remember this was his first massive rally so i can understand his nervousness and excitment, it was a huge crowd in front of him that made him lose his main points. I’m sure he will be alright after two or three rallies.
It was not a massive rally, just a few local kids waiting for the music show at the end and the usual bused in cadets from the Eastern region. Chimulirenji has been an MP for 10 years, this was not his first meeting. The problem is expectations have changed, we dont care what a simple MP might say, but when you want to be 2nd in command people expect excellence and this guys doesnt have it at that level, he cant even fake it.
Komanso mvula ija inamusokoneza mtaji.kkkkkkk Mukuona bwanji? Komanso a Nyasa Times, especially George Kasakula ndi die hard wa MCP. No wonder alibe kind words for DPP. Komanso founder/owner of Times News Paper/Group ndi Kamuzu Banda who also happens to be MCP Leader or owner of MCP ndiye George you can’t bite the fingers which feed you can you?
DPP will not win this election.Ku MRA uki mmwambamo muyambe kukonzeka ma contract kutha tione how u will survive without katangale.inde ndwiiii.
Malawi our blessed mother land…21st May come fast…a change for better is so possible, “WE WANT CHANGE NOOOW !!!” as we peacefully chanted during referendum then…were some of you there??
People don’t vote for vice president but fir the party even if you put Doom in their mouth or cut their fingers
I agree with you Kotokoto when Chilima run with Peter we did not know him until he became the vp so this running mate thing should not confuse voters. people vote for party president thats all.
The fact that he did not insult leaders of other political parties is a big positive. Please stop these hate-inspired insinuations and utterances!
Angoni a Chimulirenji akuti sananyoze SKC! Pokhapo anachita bwino zedi. Let’s face it, it is not easy for this gentleman to impress because once he does that, people will feel he is becoming ambitious. Remember how dumb Bingu was before he became president? In any case, we are done with tribal and regional parties whether they claim to have changed or not. UTM is kindly and joyfully calling on all Malawians of good will not to look back but vote Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima as president and Dr Michael Usi as vice president. These two gentlemen are patriotic and development oriented.
Malawi not ready for Drama- go back to your tractor
Really?
It will be a miracle for DPP to win this election. One of the worst political miscalculations of all time was to pick Chimulirenji as Vice and running mate to APM. Total disaster.
mpomwe uzadziwire kuti a DPP ndi makatakwe
Well…That demonstrates that you are empty. Who can afford to have the entire minister out for a month on a learning visit? Who was discharging your duties? You even failed to spell out what you learnt from Egypt in the context of developing your area and Malawi.
Praise your leader for the paid up honey moon with your wife.
Stop hating Chimulirenji, he is just a running mate and doesn’t have to be like the main candidate,he is there not to make impressive speaches but to work.
Malawi will always sink low coz of stupid people like you. He is Dpp running mate, if they win and we all know Muthalika wont last a year as president then this tortoise will rule Malawi. Shame on u cadets
Am not stupid just stop hating people who have never wronged you
Am not stupid but just stop hating people who have never wronged you
What if the one leading decide to resign, who immediately becomes the head of state? Be visionary my friend…were you not there when an unexpected death brought in JB, as per our constitution? All that is work in progress !
You are not God and remember that Chimulilenji was created in the image of God and can do wonders through him same as you think of someone doing.
You are not God.Remember Chimulilenji same as you are created in the image of God and can perform wonders same as one you think can.
Which work ?Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk !
Why making a fool of your senses Noxy? A running mate is the only successor to the presidency if the party is to go into power. Would you be proud to have Chimulirenji as your head of state if the unfortunate happens to the President whilst in power? What Malawi shall we build then?
Am not foolish and not myopic am just requesting you guys to stop hating Chimulilenji.You are crying over spoilt milk.The point is Chimulirenji will be APM’s running mate.If you can’t vote for him vote for someone else you think can do you the needful there are a lot you can decide to go for like Manganya etc so your eagle eyes on Chimulilenji whom you discredit so much will not yield anything.
Chimu, what history books did you read? We, ngonis and Lomwes are cousins? My foot!
Ndabezithe Inkosi Mthetwa!
I thought I was the only Ngoni wondering. Possibly he should have said, “In a global village we live, it’s hard to find a pure breed of your tribe. It’s outright irrelevant. We retired the spear and the shield.
Koma Chimulirenji ali mmadzi from all corners…… shaaa
ATENGANA PACHIBALE KOMANSO ONSE OSATHA KUYANKHULA KKKKKKKKKKKKKKK. MALAWI ALI PAMOTO NDITHU. LET’S VOTE THEM OUT
kutengana pachilamu, kuti zisazavute kumangopatsilana maudindo poona pamawa…mayi winanso akusunzumila malo omweo mwachete, watchera msampha wache komatu akolapo nanchidwe mmalo mwa nkhanga ndiiithu