Malawi veteran critic Tom Likambale endorses Mutharika-Atupele ticket
Some people have asked me my position as far as Malawi’s current politics is concerned, especially in light of recent events which will culminate in a new presidential election this June 23rd. I believe I owe my friends and loved ones an honest and sincere answer.
I have been a UDF member since the party’s birth and was against the DPP since its own inception. I hated former President Bingu wa Mutharika’s double-crossing of previous President Bakili Muluzi. I also hated Bingu’s own hatred of myself and my family. In addition, I disdained the “Midnight 6” incident — among others. All this (and more) meant that I was a sworn opponent of DPP, I believed, forever.
I was in shock and disbelief when DPP won the 2014 polls. I had expected, and hoped, that former President Joyce Banda would forever vanquish the DPP to political oblivion where it belonged. Well, she did not and I have spent a lot of time since then regretting it.
All this being said, you may be asking where I stand now.
It is simple: I was disgusted by the role the HRDC, MCP and UTM played in violent demonstrations for the past 11 months. By contrast, I was charmed by the patience and forbearance President Arthur Peter Muthatika displayed in response. I was also turned off by MCP’s and UTM’s manipulation of ConCourt through family and friendship connections, to produce what I still consider a partisan judgement.
And, of course, I am pleased that DPP has found reconciliation with its parent party, my party, the UDF.
We Christians preach forgiveness and reconciliation. My Christian beliefs both compel and permit me to forgive and reconcile with the DPP.
For these reasons and others, I wholeheartedly endorse the presidential ticket bearing the names of President Arthur Peter Mutharika (DPP) for President and Atupele Muluzi (UDF) as his running mate.
Restraint under intense provocation is a very important quality in a president especially in our circumstances where agents provocateurs always seek to exploit ethnic, racial, regional, political and economic tensions. In the past 11 months, President Arthur Peter Mutharika has shown that he has this quality in spades.
Real progress in national develpoment can only happen under conditions of peace, harmony and cooperation. That is the value that the Mutharika-Muluzi ticket brings to the table. Vote wisely. Vote for this ticket on June 23rd. Zikomo
- Tom Likambale is one of veteran great critics in Malawi social and political issues and he is based in Canada.
This article is all about Likambale whose opinions are old and stale. Tell us something new if you wish to call yourself a “veteran critic”!
Likambale Likambale, indeed you have stated your choice regarding which side of the alliance, and equally everyone will have there own reasons for supporting their chosen side.
Our politics are tribal and have always been and no matter what arguments or justifications we make no matter how colourful, no matter how well articulated they may be, they will just show our side of that tribalistic divide, in this case the name Likambale to me sounds Yao or Lomwe, and will not therefore be surprised to see you are supporting DPP/UTM alliance, but again you are entitled to make that choice after all politics of today are about me and my family, it could be another way of Likambale trying to reposition himself for personal gain should DPP/UTM get into power.
My biggest problem is when Nyasa Times propagates and gives prominence to people’s personal views as newsworthy. We can have an argument all day about which side of the alliance is the best.
It is not the reasons he has stated but his historical love for UDF. His comments on the Courts are unfair and regrettable. To be fair, UDF and Atupele must thank the courts and those that moved it for the Party to be of substance again. APM patience is an admission that he did not genuinely win the 2019 elections.
After all, APM has got no patience but has got no clue of solving a crisis. I hope we all remember the Academic Freedom issue when he was Minister of Education, the judicial issue when he was a Minister of Justice. This time around, an Interim President but once again very MUTE!
kukhala ku kanada nde tivutike ndi maganizo. munadya nao basi .munkanyemeredwatu paja. mwaesa taiwala?????????
True Peter has no time for useless things.1-he managed the country without doners 2- managed to pay servants without break3- Managed to raise pay for pensions 4- Constructed a lot of infrastructures.4-funded election.All this while being pulled back by Chakwera and friends.Doners are not stupid they have observed this that’s why they came back and still supporting Peter’s government.
Thom likambale zakale kale kkkk ife nganganga ku tonse
I don’t even remember this guy, after all he has only one vote
Likambale, you’re living in your own world….!!! It’s a pity.
Zingawenga sumadzipatsa boma. I will vote for APM-AAM ticket without any regrets.
Irrelevant. Strong ties to Bakili Muluzi.
In fact APM has vote most Malawians
A Likambale, musazungulirezungulire, kubisala ku ma demo . Your reasons for endorsing APM are as bad as Muluzi’s. Your own personal benefit! You hated Bingu and the original DPP because Bingu left UDF-anakudulirani mpamba. You are happy with APM because atawina ndiye kuti inu a UDF mwayi wanu ukubanawo wabweranso. Nanga inu nnga UDF ndiye mmati mungakhalenso mbali iti?
Inde Tom well written from a veteran Malawian who wishes this country well. Munasowa with your good analysis on state of affairs of our beautiful Malawi
Thom Malawians have known you to be a blind follower and UDF sycophant. So stop this nonsense of you analysing the two alliances please and endorsing DPP/UDF alliance. By the way whose opinion can you influence Thom? Mtima suvala sanzadi my brother Thom ndaonera paiwe
Aaaaaaa kodi iwe Tom Li sunakhwimebe mmaganizo??? Tinzeru tongozaza tea bag basi….momwe unalili pa Nyasanet 15 years ago mpakana pano nzeru ataaaaa!!!! Sopo ina imangokuladi heti ….mmutu zero pa ten!!!
Likambale, what you’ve said is your opinion that was based on your decision but your decision came about the fact that ” my friend’s friend is also my friend” not this blindfolding that you are trying to play and dpp leaders and supporters must be very stupid not to read your motive. Likambale, you are, and have been a diehard udf supporter right? Can’t be a hidden secret here, you’re endorsing udf behind dpp, you’re endorsing Atupele in disguise of Peter and you want us to help you confuse dpp so they can score their own goal, oops i forgot dpp’s own goal was already scored! Either way dpp bought a one-way ticket, it will never come back again, if Tonse alliance wins then majority of malawians will win, which is obvious, but if dpp riggs the next elections, as it is obvious dpp can’t win, but if that can happen then udf will win, that’s exactly the mind game that Likambale is playing.
Peter is not patient nor a good leader but it’s like when a lion is surrounded by a dozen monkeys, it pretends to be either peaceful or not hungry for a prey, and one thing, malawi is not a jungle where Lion Peter could just arrest or kill people when they were exercising their rights. There was absolutely nothing Peter or the police, or the army or the courts could do and you Likambale of all the people call that patience- or desparado? And for your information Likambale, hrdc, utm and mcp never encouraged anybody to break and steal during the protests and their battle was for the majority of malawians not for two families.
And if you Likambale were an honest creature, you would stand for what is right not for what’s good for your party or your friend’s son, do you think 65% of malawians who were protesting, public opinions, con-court, the supreme Court of appeal can be be wrong on the judgement but you Likambale and your two families are right? Please get life and give us a break!
Cannot be said any better, thank you
I have read some of your articles and I agree with you on violence….. I hate any kind of violence…..
But some these violence were work of the government
1 if the government I had kicked out Jane Ansah and the commissioners some of violences could not occurred
2 Government is encouraging violence……One if the guys who destroyed mec equipment was released a minute after he was arrested
Those people who killed Gogos in the village s have not been arrested
3 thugs who wanted to cause havoc at mtambos meetings were caught arrested and released within few hours
4 An inquiry on albino was established sometime ago but there is no report
Mec messed up everything..,,,fake tippex duplicate !!!!!!!win on fair ground
5Mr Dausi ran away from answering on th mec issue
I am disappointed the government is handling the issue of violence and it’s seems it’s encouraging or supporting it..
This is one thing which other senior members of the alliance are doing so that udf/pdd Lose the election…….watch out
MCP, UTM and HRDC used a wrong strategy by perpetrating violence. That is why DPP-UDF is having massive support everywhere Atupele has gone in the south and central region.
Good decision Thom.
Mutharika and Atupele make a great TEAM – both are calm, intelligent and alibe kunyoza.
MCP and UTM have caused so much damage to this country. They have burnt buildings, harassed people from the southern region and disturbed businesses. The DPP and UDF alliance gives us hope for a peaceful and harmonious Malawi.
I agree with Thom Likambale. What has happened since last year has made some of us see how calm, tolerant and democratic Mutharika is.
Sikuti onse akakhala phee ndiye kuti ndi ofatsa, ena ndi kuputsa ndi kupanda nzeru. Akuwafuna anthu ku Ndirande a Dad kuti akawayankhule
Mau. If it was up to Chakwera we would be in civil war. He said and I quote “I AM READY TO SPILL BLOOD” Even John Tembo never reached such dangerous heights. Apm is the leader we need. Calm and corrected.
He is and will still be your DPP leader
Amasuta chamba nkuluyi asakusokonezeni. Posachedwapa boma la Canada limawafufuza kuti liwatsekere. Pumbwa okwera pa tsekera!
Leave in Canada – we vote for change here in Malawi. Watch the space!!!
Four legs good; two legs bad.
Thom, being a UDF Member you have no choice but to endorse the DPP/UDF team. But prepare yourself for another shock come 23rd June because your team can not make. Your endorsement has no impact on the outcome of elections.
Basi nane ndalowa Alliance ya Adadi. Professor Mutharika ndiMunthu odekha, oyenera u president. APM you have my vote. Enawa anyanya phuma, nkhanza, mkwiyo, mwano, matama, kudzikonda, kusankhana mitundu.
These are real mature people not those who still continue violence since they became a political party feeding people to chtocodiles
MCp is finished wait June 23 is coming. They will go to court again.on 24th June
Whoever was knocked down by the boxer late Jetu ,never gained strength and vision any more. MCp will never gain strength and vision
Based in Canada, watching things from a distance. I hope you will vote
Tom likambale your writing has given me a second thought and i was undecided and now i also endorse DPP-UDF alliance
Clearly confusing indecision and patience.
Koma anthu inu , you dont love your country. You are also cowards I guess
1. You mean you are comfortable to let a person in his eighties to rule a country and expect to be vibrant? Be honest you people, unless you are direct beneficiries of this regim.
2. You mean you are against demonstrations which were for a cause even vindicated by two courts? You are cowards who are just satisfied with the status quo even when things are turning upside down. I wonder if you are in your right senses you citizens of Malawi.
Ambuje che Li ine ndagwizana ndi analysis yanu. My vote will be for DPP/UDF