Mutharika admits ‘tight race’: Pledges to create employment
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) torchbearer in the May 20 tripartite elections, Peter Mutharika has conceded that there is no clear winner in sight for the highest office in the land as Malawi choose a president, councillors and members of parliament on Tuesday.
The DPP leader made the remarks during a series of whistle stop tour he conducted in Chikhwawa on Friday.
Mutharika who also paraded his two daughters Moyenda and Monique from America admitted that there is tight race between him and three other candidates namely; Lazorous Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party, Atupele Muluzi of United Democratic Front and Dr. Joyce Banda of ruling People’s Party (PP).
Malawi uses the “first past the post” system, meaning a candidate who wins the most votes carries the day.
He however promised to create self employment among the youth through establishing of community colleges across the country.
Mutharika appealed to the thousands of people who attended his rally at Nchalo to vote wisely for the country to as he said he has capacity to bring major economic developments to uplift the lives of rural Malawians.
“DPP government will introduce community colleges to impart knowledge and skill to the youth through various vocational trainings to empower them economically to be self-reliant,” said Mutharika.
He also said that his administration would continue with fertilizer subsidy programme to promote food security especially among the poor rural population.
“Apart from fertilizer subsidy programme, DPP government will introduce subsidies for cement and iron sheets to allow the poor rural masses to own decent houses,” he said.
On her part, former first lady, Madame Callista Mutharika urged people of Chikhwawa to vote for her in-law Prof. Mutharika who she said would manage to eradicate all economic sufferings and hardships which the rural masses have experienced under PP regime.
“Malawians are fed up with corrupt leaders who have left the government coffers dry through public looting and plundering of poor people resources at Capital Hill,” she said.
In his remarks DPP parliamentary aspirant for Chikhwawa Central, Winstone Mapepa appealed to the thousands of people at Nchalo Trading Centre to vote for DPP if they want to realize meaningful developments in the constituency.
“People of Chikhwawa are tired with the economic hardships which they have been experiencing since PP took over the government. I am ready to represent you in the parliament and I can promise to bring major economic development projects in the constituency to change your livelihoods,” he said.
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