Ministers take DPP campaign to Calvary Church in UK
Minister of Education George Chaponda and deputy minister of presidential affairs Nicholas Dausi on Sunday turned Calvary Family Church in Nottingham, UK as a political ground to campaign for ruling DPP amongst Malawians in Diaspora.
The ministers were accompanied by Ben Phiri, personal assistant to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Mutharika, the DPP presidential candidate.
They attended the church service and later addressed the congregation.
Malawians wanted to know what the government is doing to attract qualified professionals in the Diaspora and what measurers to attract the Diaspora community to open Foreign Denominated Accounts to ease the forex shortage. They also demanded answers on long-drawn academic impasse saga.
However, the government officials turned the opportunity into a campaign for DPP bashing state Vice President Joyce Banda, who is leading her People’s Party.
Chaponda, actually accused Banda, of torpedoing the efforts to reopen Chancellor College, because it was in her political backyard Zomba.
The officials also spent much time talking about Nyasa Times online publication, accusing it of exposing ills about the Bingu wa Mutharika administration.
They also attacked Civil society activists and touted the ruling DPP as the party which has managed to attain food security.
The officials however acknowledged that the country is facing the worst economic crisis since Malawi attained independence 47 years ago, saying there is indeed fuel and forex problems.
DPP clothes were also distributed to Malawians.
The officials are in UK as part of the Malawi government delegation to hold talks with the British Government to restore full diplomatic relations with Malawi and resume its aid assistance.
The relations between Lilongwe and London went sour following President Mutharika’s decision to declare Her Majesty’s envoy – Fergus Cochrane-Dyet- persona non grata after a confidential memo which amended and questioned his leadership and relationship with vice president Joyce Banda was leaked.
Malawi and Britain expelled each other’s envoys in the diplomatic row.
Britain also withdrew all budgetary support to Malawi when its High Commissioner was expelled from the southern African country.
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