Malawians will ‘smoke out’ Bingu -PP
The People’s Party (PP) has scolded the hitherto much-touted ‘economic engineering’ of President Bingu wa Mutharika, observing the country is currently experiencing the worst ever socio-economic turbulence and Malawians will ‘smoke out’ their ruler.
“Muluzi (former president) told us that he (Mutharika) was the economic engineer and that he would turn around the Malawi economy; he was touted to have been an economic advisor to 22 African Heads of State and Government (as COMESA Secretary General). But today, Malawi’s economy is in tatters; he’s busy externalizing money into his foreign bank accounts in Portugal and elsewhere,” PP provincial chairman for the East, Samson Msosa said at a public rally.
The rally was held at Ntcheu Community Centre Ground on Saturday, where the party’s founding president and State Vice President Joyce Banda was guest speaker.
Economic destroyer
The outspokenMsosa wondered how a country with an ‘economic engineer’ as a Head of State could slide into such an unprecedented socio-economic turmoil where there are no essential medicines in hospitals; fuel is unavailable resulting in motorists queuing for days on end; there are no learning and teaching materials in public schools; and that forex is unavailable even at a time when tobacco sales have been completed.
He said what was most worrying was that the Head of State does not show any remorse for the “economic mess” he has brought and that instead, he treats citizens “as they were his personal property”.
“Malawians, we all remember how the President said that he would smoke people out. I want to assure Bingu that come 2014, Malawians will smoke him out; these problems are most unbearable,” said Msosa, attracting a deafening applause.
Dig on Peter Mutharika
He admonished the President for what he said was “abuse of office and power” for allowing his young brother, Peter Mutharika, to use a presidential helicopter for his political escapades “when he is not entitled as he is a mere cabinet minister”.
The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) endorsed the president’s brother as ‘heir apparent’ to the presidency, a decision that has attracted fierce backlash within the country and outside with people arguing Malawi is not a monarchy where power is inherited by virtue of relationship.
“Peter Mutharika does not deserve a helicopter at the expense of poor taxpayers. After all, this professor who used to teach in fly-by-night colleges in the United States has lived the better part of his life outside the country and he comes here to rule over us because his brother was president; it can’t be.
“We hear he has no stable family of his own and Malawians should accept to be led by a bachelor; it can’t be,” Msosa said, igniting wild laughter among the crowd.
He said Malawians ought to seriously think about change in 2014 and that such hope for change would be actualized through voting into power Joyce Banda and the People’s Party.
Msosa said Mutharika retires in 2014 and it was unfortunate that on retirement, he would leave “a very bad legacy” as the worst Head of State ever to have ruled Malawi.
The provincial chairman then thanked the Civil Society Organizations in Malawi for standing for the truth and reprimanding the Head of State and his administration for the various gross abuses that have left Malawians groaning for change.
He also commended the clergy for its untiring efforts in carrying out its prophetic role, reprimanding Government and leaders where necessary “without fear or favour”.
Banda’s turn
On her part and when she stood to speak at exactly 15:05 PM, the VP thanked God for “the Gift of Life” observing that other people “had failed to see the light of the day” and that “we are not cleverer to be alive and meet today but it’s the God’s will”.
She then bemoaned the poor state of Ntcheu Town, observing that the district was of much historic significance particularly within the context of the struggle against colonialism. It was sorrowful that the town does not even have a hotel.
Other speakers included PP Secretary General Henry Chibwana, Deputy Organizing Secretary Ephraim Chivunde (director of ceremonies) and Ntcheu District Chaiman, a Mr. Sakwiya.
Other top PP officials that graced the ceremony included Director for International Relations, Wallace Chawawa, Director of Religious Affairs, Reverend Malani Mtonga, Director of Legal Affairs, Paul Mauludi and Publicity Secretary Stephen Mwenye, among others.
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