Malawians should not re-elect hand clappers – Chiwaya
Mangochi central MP (UDF) , Dr Clement Chiwaya has called on Malawians not to re-elect parliamentarians who were busy bootlicking during the dictatorship of late Bingu wa Mutharika leading to the economic down turn
Chiwaya told the House that all the economic miseries that Malawians are facing today are the result of a passive Parliament comprising hand-clappers and praise singers who perpetuated Mutharika’s autocracy.
“I am saying this because the devil is not Bingu who is resting at Mpumulo wa Bata. The devils are ourselves who always wanted to be seen to be the loudest cheer leaders even when things were going wrong,” said Chiwaya.
The lawmaker, who served as Minister in late Mutharika cabinet before he voluntary resigned on principal when the Head of State dumped UDF the party that sponsored him to power in 2004, paid tribute to politicians who firmly stood for justice rather than towing a destructive path.
“When the country was sliding into dictatorship through legislating of bad laws we saw one, Henry Phoya, standing to follow his conscious,” he said.
“When democratic principles within a ruling party were being threatened, our current President Mrs Joyce Banda and our current Vice President Khumbo Kachali decided to challenge the status-quo. These are the type of people whose values inculcated into many legislators in this country, we as a country, would advance because no leader would have space to even dream about dictatorial tendencies.”
Chiwaya therefore appealed to Malawians in 2014 elections to elect MPs that are able to rise against unpopular decisions and not hand-clappers.
“We do not need Members that feel that there is no life after leaving the Cabinet. We do not need Members that feel that their Mercedes Benzes are more important than the local person that they represent in their constituencies,” he said.
Chiwaya said the House is “ full of hypocritical members”., saying when President Banda was booted out of DPP many could not dare greet her by hand for fear of political reprisals.
“Today, the same people are camping at the gates of her residence in search of favours,” said Chiwaya as many opportunists listed to him.
He said many MPs were “cowards” who did not want to criticise the Mutharika dictatorship because they wanted to protect their own positions.
“I have no regrets for saying this because never should we allow hand-clappers and cheer leaders among our ranks. We have had too many of them and we are tired of them,” said.
He hailed President Banda’s government for starting the reforms and making bold decisions that have helped the nation to unlock the much needed foreign aid.
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