Don’t vote for those who snubbed debates, says Chilima: ‘Malawi must be for all Malawians’
Vice President Saulos Chilima, who is also UTM Party presidential flag bearer in May 21 watershed elections, has asked Malawians not to vote for those who snubbed the presidential debates Friday evening, saying it is an ‘insult’ to Malawians to vote for people who have shown ‘clearly’ that they do not want the job.
Chilima, in veiled reference to President Peter Mutharika who did not attend any of the three presidential debates, said the people who were attending the presidential debates were asking for a job from Malawians and those who snubbed the debates are not interested in the job.
“What we are doing here (the presidential debates) is very serious because we want to have a better Malawi. So those who did not come here for this debate are clearly not interested in this job and therefore you should not vote for them,” said Chilima.
Apart from Mutharika, Tikonze Alliance presidential candidate Cassim Chilumpha also snubbed the debates.
Chilima was composed throughout the debate and easily and politely shrugged off some attempts to ridicule him from little known Peter Kuwani of Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD) party.
“Records are there for all to see. I was sacked for my good performance. People on this platform have even hailed me for the role I played during the public reforms programme,” said Chilima.
When an excited Kuwani suggested that Chilima is still paid government money despite being ‘sacked’, Chilima put him in his place.
“We have government records at Capital Hill, just go there and find out if the office of the Vice president is being funded,” said a cool and confident Chilima.
Exuding his confidence of winning the watershed may elections, Chilima retaliated his stance that there will be only one winner in the elections and it will be him.
“I didn’t know that there will be two winners in this election! I will be sworn in on May 24 at Bingu Stadium as the winner of these elections,” said Chilima with confidence.
During the debate, Chilima underscored his pledge of giving a 30 day amnesty to the people who stole government money to pay back before they are prosecuted.
He also talked about the creation of 1 million jobs within the first year of his presidency, payment of K15 000 gratuity to people who will retire from 65 years and above and also supporting the youth in the country hinting he will take the youth portfolio in his Cabinet.
Chilima also said he will end the constant fights that have punctuated the presidency between the Head of State and the second-in-command.
“My Vice president will be staying at Mtunthama State Residence (in Lilongwe) and there will be no fights between me and my Vice,” said Chilima who fell out of grace with President Mutharika.
Chilima also said it is wrong to put names of individuals to government saying Malawi will remain Malawi Government not ‘Mutharika Government’.
“We only change the parties running government but it remains Malawi government. This country has no shareholders, it is for all Malawians and this country should not be governed by a few families, no, everyone has a right to govern this country as long as they are qualified to do so,” said Chilima.
He stressed that Malawi is not meant for just a few families but must be for all Malawians.
Throughout the debate, despite some deliberate scorn from Umodzi party Presidential candidate John Chisi and Kuwani, Chilima remained calm as he answered questions with his wife, Mary, dressed immaculately listening attentively to the debate in the background.
“I was sacked from government because of my good performance,” he said while responding to Chisi’s assertions that Chilima is serving in a failed Mutharika-led government.
Among his electoral promises, Chilima said he will his first 100 days in office reduce presidential motorcade to a convoy of six vehicles, end education quota system and provide education bursaries.
Chilima promised that UTM will make sure that every Malawian will have an opportunity to feel that they belong to this country and enjoy the fruits of equality. He is promising that his UTM policies will be based on merit and deal away with the nepotism.
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we need not to be told who to vote,dzuwa salodzelana!
Kikiki “…with his (Chilima’s) wife, Mary, dressed immaculately (and) listening attentively to the debate in the background.” is the most ass licking statement I have read in the longest while, even in this country. The reporter, James Nthondo, ought be ashamed for for such editorializing, even if he was paid as wa ganyu ( as stipend) for this.
Seriously, abale inu?
…
Mwana wa Dad oyamba dreaming! wishing APM died earlier than the elections day! but alas! it will not happen! You will have to eat tough meat like adults! Sorry Chilima this one is not for you not this time and never!
Mr james nthondo ndikatakwe pa zamalembedwe full stop.
Those who did not attend the debate are cheats and cowards. Can Malawians vote for cheats and cowards? Those who will vote for cheats are themselves cheats and cowards.
CEDEP which has continuously fought the presidency co-sponsored the debates. No sensible president could have attended.
SKC has already won.
chilima akupwetekani muziwaso nonse chaka chake ndichino enanumuyenda wapansi simungobisalila Ku boma dikila mantle aitenge chilima nde mumuziwa kuti iyeyu ndindani
ma cadet mulila simunati mwanva muzieaso, ameneyo nde chilima mpwanga
Pride goes before a fall,
Chilima is no presidential material, if by any means he wins, his gvt will be a total disaster. mark my words
You are a lier who does not understand his stance. We have only one Presidential material in these elections and that’s Dr Saulos Klaas Chilima. His level of confidence gives everybody hope in the new direction of Prosperous Mother Malawi.
Just as his confidence to win your votes, he will also confidently win resources from the public purse
I have the same feeling. I have reservations on his motives to run for Presidency
No one can stop anyone from dreaming, but Chilima’s dreams of becoming Malawi ‘s will never come true. Wachepa mwana uyu.
I have never seen such a brilliant vice president like chilima I like him he is capable transforming Malawi than anyone we have now , chakwela is the same as peter mutharika they all have poor reasoning skills, ma cadet zisilu mbola nonse agalu sitikufuna comment yanu pa utenga Wa chilima wu
Unfortunately this is Nyasatimes not UTM forum, to hell with your views!
We respect your opinion. Your experience (“I have never seen such a brilliant….) only entails your lack of exposure on the polical scene. More worrisomely it exposes your political hooliganism
malawi is not ready for disgruntled leaders. SKC amawoneka kuti ndi wa nkhanza. vote for a humble person . AMAWONEKA UKHULUKU UYU
we dont vote out of sympathy for people my brother. inu nde anthu osokoneza ziko inu.
Mwina poti ine sindizamvotera uyu koma akadzawina ndiwanga
Malawi must stop giving benefits to vice presidents who are doing nothing as well. We must start just giving them gratuity and not life time benefits. It’s a waste of money to be looking for Malewezi, Chilumpha, Khumbo Kachali etc. until they die. We should change the law. It’s tax payers who suffer. Chilumpha anapanga chiyani to deserve that. The same applies to the speaker. People must learn to prepare for life after service. Mpaka free food, electricity, security, house, etc. This is being footed by someone living in Ntopwa, Kauma, Nthalire, Changoima in Chikwawa. We can advocate for this.
You are right dude, Government looses alot on this useless retired called presidents, what have they done to Malawians that they can still be chewing our taxes.
Mbuz yamunthu I we usatipusitse ndiwe DPP team B……chakwera akulowa m’boma osati kape ngat iwe
I have been saying time and again that the author is UTM diehard. Why writing only about Chilima as if he was the only presidential candidate present at the debate.
The other candidates also spoke on very important issues but here we only hear of Chilima. Try to balance when reporting Mr. James Nthondo. I follow your articles here. May be you are on UTM’s payroll.
I agree, whether others talked trash, but he was supposed to cover them, not just only concentrate on SKC, neutral reporting
there is also an article which talks only about chakwera, does that make the scribe a chakwera diehard?
Chilima should not lie – he is getting salary without working. Mbava yaikulu. Who pays police security which he clang to? Besides, what proportion of people have TVs to watch these debates.
His always Arafat Hamdani. He thinks he can order Malawians on who to vote for. This was only a public debate not a platform to decampaign others you dimwit.
Absolutely! He can’t tell me not to vote for APM.
Very true. who gave him the authority to tell would be voters who to vote or not? Hold your neck before you hang .Politics is a game of treachery, no freekicks or penalties, watch this space after 21 May. In politics there is no life after death ask MCP they can bitterly tell the tale.
James nthondo is one biased stupid reporter.was your saulosi the only participant at the debate?This just shows that you are an empty tin
Exactly, whether others talked bullshit, he was supposed to cover them, it is up to us to judge. Its like reporting about a football match between Bullets and Silver and mention nothing about the other team as if only one team featured
But the title of this story is about Chilima, so what did you expect?
That’s pure rhetoric as a marketer with zero implementation. He made reforms to punish youth by forcing them tho be making pension contributions even before consultations
Mr Vice President Sir, well spoken. APM clearly doesnt want the vote.
very visionary
Impressive and inspiring!
Why only Chilima’s side when we had more debaters? Such journalist can not develop Malawi. What they think is person benefit. Ndie kuti mmamawa uno athamanga abwana mwaiona ndaitulutsa bwinotu. Bad journalism
Reading through this praise and worship piece you would be forgiven to think this guy was the only one present and only the wife in attendance……can someone more objective give us a synopsis of the event……we didn’t have the opportunity to listen in
Warning to all Malawians: please vote wisely. Chiliba is not the right choice. Munthu Uyu ngwanatana wazipopa he thinks he us the only intelligent person on earth. Despite the fact that he cones from chitipa ku ifumbo, munthu Uyu NGO nyasa zedi. Plsssss watch out fellow Malawians
Yes that’s a president. Chithawirenji akapume. They have no business whatsover. They have stolen enough. They have indebted Malawi enough.
useless