Malawi’s 48 years of independence meaningless -DPP
Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says Malawians must forget cerebrating 48 years of their independence if they still cling to donor dependence.
DPP’s Secretary General, Wakuda Kamanga, said in Blantyre as on Sunday as he laboured to explain to people of Ndirande Malabada Constituency why President Bingu wa Mutharika is advancing the Zero Deficit Budget (ZDB) and snubbing International Monetary agencies on devaluing the Malawi
currency.
Over the last few weeks the DPP leadership has been busy drumming up support from Malawians on the two thorny issues.
Kamanga argued that at 48, Malawi should be able to fend for herself and not rely on its ‘parents’ as if it was still colonized.
Parading a 48-year-old ex-UDF unknown member, who joined DPP on the day, the DPP official asked the man if, at 48, he still looked up to his parents to assist him with basic commodities.
He asked: “You say you are 48 married with six kids, tell me, do you live in your parents’ home? Do you beg food from your parents? Are these clothes bought by your parents?”
And the man answered ‘no’ to every question. Kamanga then said “if a person can grow, what more with a country like Malawi which is being led by an economist Professor Bingu wa Mutharika?
“At 48, Malawi is mature enough to take care of herself…Malawi is in a position to generate its own revenue and ably purchase vehicles, buy drugs, and pay civil servants without begging,” he said.
Kamanga, who last week played second fiddle to Energy Minister Goodal Gondwe as he articulated the ZDB and devaluation issues at Zingwangwa ADMARC grounds in Blantyre, lived short of the required explanation as he had no clear cut economic facts to convince the gathering easily.
“This could be the reason why he has come late. He wanted to just speak for few minutes to avoid embarrassment, “observed one young man.
President’s stand
In his recent remarks at MRA function, Mutharika dared his critics not to forget that Malawi got independence in 1964 and time for looking up for donor support for life was gone.
“Malawi has to show signs of growth. Total dependence is not what Malawi wants to be. So let’s not stick to our parents throughout our life on everything otherwise our 48 years Independence cerebrations this year will be meaningless,” Mutharika pointed out.
He added: “The country cannot develop if it is not responsible for its own growth. The responsibility of developing our country depends on us.”
Mutharika introduced the heavily criticized ZDB concept during the 2010/2011 financial year which has seen the country plunge into deep economic crisis leaving many households failing to afford basic necessities whose prices have skyrocketed.
Malawi will be celebrating her 48 years of independence from Britain on July 6 this year.
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