Kaliati warns against ‘cheap’ handouts: UTM makes inroads in Lhomwe belt

UTM Party secretary general Patricia Kaliati has told people of Mulanje not to be fooled by last minute gestures from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but focus on building a bright future under her party.

Kaliati was speaking at Masubi Primary School Ground in Traditional Authority Chikumbu’s area during a rally held by state vice president Saulos Chilima.

She said the current government had shown no interest in the people of Mulanje since they voted it in five years ago and it was an insult to come in with token development projects with only a few weeks to the next tripartite elections.

“No president has come to this area since 2014 because they don’t care about you. Now we hear they are tapping water from Mulanje to take it to Blantyre when people of Mulanje have no clean water. What reason do you have for voting in such people again?” she asked the agitated crowd.

The UTM secretary general told the crowd not to forget that the DPP promised them a market for their pigeon peas in India which never materialised.

“India is the world’s largest producer of pigeon peas. How could they buy from us? It shows you how untrustworthy these people are,” she said.

Kaliati, who was MP for Mulanje West in the just dissolved Parliament, warned people of Mulanje not to be lured by cash and material handouts because that will not go beyond voting day, saying choosing Chilima and UTM is the country’s best assurance for a bright future.

She said UTM is geared to offer a better deal for farmers, the youth and women.

Mulanje district has nine constituencies and Chilima held imbizo meetings in four of them before addressing the main rally at Masubi which is in Mulanje Bale constituency.