DPP’s Ben Phiri says UTM presence only on Facebook: Most of its social media users are abroad, not voters

The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of elections, Ben Phiri has described UTM Party led by vice-president Saulos Chilima has no structures across the country and that its presence is much on social media platforms.

Ben Phiri: DPP director of elections says UTM presence is on social media not on the grassroots

Phiri was speaking during Face the Nation interview programme aired on Rainbow TV.

He pointed out that UTM is strong on social media with more followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, higher posting frequencies, and more fan engagement (e.g. likes, comments and shares) but they have no voters with them.

“Political popularity [to win elections] is not Facebook, not Whatsapp. We don’t win elections on social media. We win on the ground with the electorate at the grassroots,” Phiri said.

He said social media data would show a different picture to polling numbers of the registered voters.

Chilima is generally seen in a more positive light by social media users but Phiri said DPP has its backing from real registered voters across the country, especially on the grassroots.

“We have voters. We have numbers. DPP is winning the elections hands down,” he said.

Phiri stressed UTM cannot win the polls because the party has no grassroots support and will lose miserably in the May 21 Tripartite Elections.

“Most people who make noise on social media in support of UTM are not in Malawi. They are not voters. They are well known noise makers and attention seekers on Facebook while staying abroad [UK, USA],” he said.

He told programme host Aubrey Kusakala that the watershed elections are a battle between oldest Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and DPP.

Phiri said DPP is very popular due to various development programmes which the Peter Mutharika administration has undertaken, branding the President as “Mr Deliverer”.

The DPP director of elections cited various developments which the party has undertaken since ushered into power in 2014.

The year after Mutharika took power in 2014, floods that wracked the southern African nation and forced more than 200,000 people from their homes and killed at least 176 were followed by drought and widespread food shortages. Rebuilding efforts were hampered by a foreign-aid freeze after a scandal during the previous administration known as Cashgate that saw as much as $33 million allegedly looted from state coffers.

But the DPP government took painful steps to stabilize the economy and the currency, the kwacha, and brought inflation down from a peak of 24 percent to a single digit.

Phiri is also aspiring parliamentary candidate for Thyolo Central Constituency and is likely to win. He recently launched K10 million football and netball trophies, the second edition of the competitions after successfully introducing them last year.

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Prophet
Prophet
5 years ago

Take it or leave it

MCP analamulira 31years
Pano a kwanisa 25 years ali ku opposition(Muluzu 10yrs,Bingu & Joyce10yrs and Peter5yrs)
Zakhalazaka 5yrs ndi 1 yr kuti a balatse ekwezyoni
Sopano kuti a balance ekwezyoni ayenela kuti this year a luzetso kaya mwadala or mwamwayi

Akaza balance ekwezyoniyo tizawavotela

Mussa
Mussa
5 years ago

UTM rocks!! kkkkkkkkk

Iantana
Iantana
5 years ago

So we should take UTM seriuosly eti? out of all opposition parties why single it out? palinkhani apa

sato
sato
5 years ago

The DPP gurus know they will face stiff competition from UTM and may lose so Ben Phiri wants to project UTM as an outsider and in so doing deflect its potential. I have interacted with supporters of DPP and many seems to have a soft spot for MCP which says a lot about the chaos in DPP following the rise of UTM.

Patrick Mbewe
Patrick Mbewe
5 years ago

Mulungu akafuna kusintha ufumu , zonse amapanga yekha kuti ulemerero onse ubwere Kwa iye. Werengani bukhu la Daniel , muzaona nokha . DPP ikuzichosa yokha, akukhala ngati misala. Nkhani yavma alubino, kopereka nomination papers zonse zosokonekera.
Zina ndi izi. Mmalo Moti tikhala tikukamba za mfundo zomwe anatsitsa kuti mchifukwa ninji DPP isankhidwenso, mutu waukulu pa interview ndi Oti he is denying the force that is UTM when all Malawi knows very well.
Ambuye tikudziwa kuti DPP mwaichosa ndinu. Tingodikira mutiululire president wina pa 21 May.

Wiseman
Wiseman
5 years ago

And most of them are leaving outside malawi, they can not even come and vote. Akugwira ya kalavula gaga ku south africa, kuyenda mozemba everyday. ku USA, England. Enawanso ndalama ya transport kuti abwere kumudzi alibe.

Jumani Jumani
Jumani Jumani
5 years ago
Reply to  Wiseman

Kaya izo ndi zanu. Ife ndiye tikuchinda azungu, amwenye, ma Filipino, aluya , ma Brazil mkati inu zichedwani nkutinyoza

JJ Mbewe the Pathfinder
JJ Mbewe the Pathfinder
5 years ago
Reply to  Jumani Jumani

kkkkkkkkk koma iwe jumani, wachibwana eti?

Wiseman
Wiseman
5 years ago
Reply to  Jumani Jumani

Ndiye ndizonyadila zimenezo, za ziii!!!!. Kumangopanga noise pa social media. Mumkaona ngati mukapita kunja mukapeza money mosavuta, lero ndi zimenezo or 100 usd, 500 Rand mulibe yoti mungawatumizile makolo kumudzi.

Wiseman
Wiseman
5 years ago
Reply to  Jumani Jumani

Za ziiii, mukatero kubweleko muthatha kuno, kudzavutitsa achibale ndi kugula coffin chonsecho la mchele simutumizako

Thinktank
Thinktank
5 years ago
Reply to  Wiseman

Za ziii…….just check misonkhano ya chilima….it’s nonsensical to say it’s only supported on social platforms.MCP DPP are also on social platforms defending there respective parties……..

Getu Maseko
Getu Maseko
5 years ago

DPP kuba, kupha and kuononga. Abale athu a chi Albino akusowa mtendere in their own country. Ben Phiri ndiye mbava inanso. Iwe ndi Nankhumwa mwagwira chipwisi. Mumaona ngati mudzalamula dziko lino. Mbuzi inu.

Wokonderedwa
Wokonderedwa
5 years ago

Aphiri akunama awa, nanga iwo akweza chibagela bwanji kkkk, UTM yakuzunguzani mpaka mwaiwala kuika chala mmwamba mwaika chibagela kkkk

REGISTERED VOTER
REGISTERED VOTER
5 years ago

That can be true…but still be very very carefull with MCP….because MCP is only adding day in day out…But DPP has subtracted a lot…as DPP we have subtracted the lower shire , Ntheu, and UTM is bring confusion in Lomwe belt areas..
So be carefully with MCP….

Khima
Khima
5 years ago

1 DPP
2 MCP
3UTM
4UDF

The margins will be in minority though.

Aman
Aman
5 years ago
Reply to  Khima

Only that you don’t know …just wait and see..
MCP is winning these elections mark my words

JJ Mbewe the Pathfinder
JJ Mbewe the Pathfinder
5 years ago
Reply to  Aman

Eeeh paja mmawina choncho ndi pakamwa, nthawi yakeyo ikadzakwana muzidzalira kuti mwaberedwa kkkkkk koma MCP simunaphunzilepobe chilichonse?

Nganga solibala
Nganga solibala
5 years ago

Ben wabandulidwa , kkkkkkkkkk ,
Apa akumva pheeeeeeeni ndi UTM

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