Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba’s Manifesto: What’s inside his 7 Campaign Messages?
Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba has today unveiled his widely famed and fancied ‘People Over Politics’ manifesto where he has dusted off controversial and radical proposals for constitutional amendments aimed at making Malawi Congress Party (MCP) a financially independent organisation which is continuously responsive to changing needs of the people of Malawi.
Addressing a press briefing before heading to a rally at Katoto Ground, Mumba has presented his 7 Campaign Messages which is his final step in his journey to contest for the post of the First Deputy President for the ruling MCP.
But what are these seven points? We have broken them down for you.
1. Introduction of policy conferences
Mumba proposes the introduction policy conference before the elective conference (convention) SO that the convention can adopt the policies. He says that the outcome of each policy conference will inform the manifesto of the party in the general elections. The manifesto becomes the blueprint for the party when governing.
“The policy conferences will be on major issues such as agriculture, tourism, mining, education, energy, the economy, etc. Technocrats within the party and external consultants will be engaged to study the master plans for various government departments, ministries and state-owned companies and come up with discussion items for the policy conferences,” he says.
The aim, he concludes, is to add value to the masterplans and create enablers for implementation.
2. Investments for the Party
Mumba says the aim, here, is to raise funds for the running of the affairs of the party, supporting full time employees, etc. “The intention is to have various investments such as megafarms, shares in companies, microfinance, construction, property development etc,” he says.
3. Empowerment of the secretariat
Mumba proposes the empowerment of the secretariat at national, regional, district and constituency levels whereby key personnel will be full time employees of the party and shall not be allowed to hold any public position.
“An effective secretariat will be helpful in empowering party members in terms of business and job opportunities through a properly structured system without party members worshiping ‘mafano in order to be empowered. This can only be done after investments have fully taken shape. The constitution will have to be amended to accommodate this,” he says.
4. Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
Mumba says that he will develop a strategy for engaging traditional leaders, religious leaders, the youth and women, adding that this is about their participation in supporting party and government agenda.
5. Creation of a conducive environment for NEC.
Mumba says this is aimed at managing people who would like to be gibber than the party and override other offices.
6. Introduction of Veterans League
Mimba says this can be a league or a directorate adding that this will have the same structure as the Youth League and the Women’s League.
7. Elective Conference Amendment
Mumba says he will facilitate constitutional change to ensure the National Executive Committee (NEC) is dissolved during campaign period and only be called to deliberate on management issues but shall not make substantive decisions. “In addition, during their term NEC members must not implement any proposal or changes to the constitution but can only recommend these to the convention. Once adopted, those changes can only be implemented after a particular convention. This will avoid abuse of power by the incumbent during the campaign period,” he says.
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