Mutharika credits MCP for ending colonial rule, UDF championed democracy: ‘DPP to continue transforming Malawi’

President Peter Mutharika has reiterated the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vision to develop the country,  highlighting  the mission of political parties that ruled the country starting from 1964 up to date and appreciating the role each party did to Malawians.

Mutharika  in his New Year’s address to the nation titled ‘Let us agree to move forward in peace, love and unity’, also commended oppositions Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for fighting colonialism to bring independence and United Democratic Front (UDF) party for bringing democracy in the country.

“Since the DPP came to govern this country, we have always maintained our mandate to the people of Malawi. Malawi Congress Party came to end colonialism. They finished their job.

The United Democratic Front came to bring democracy. We honour them for that. The DPP came to develop this country. And we have work to do!,” said President Mutharika.

However, the Malawi leader failed to highlight the mission of the former ruling Peoples Party (PP)  which governed the country between 2012 and 2014 when Joyce Banda became president after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika.

Mutharika said DPP had brought a number of development projects in the country and it will continue doing that.

Among others, Mutharika said DPP administration has managed to construct good tarmac roads across the country, empowered the youths through the introduction of community Technical Colleges just to mention a few.

“With new tarmac roads, we have connected more people and more villages to their hospitals,
markets and schools. We have empowered the Youth with skills to create their own jobs and employ others through community technical colleges,” said Mutharika

Commenting on the last year’s presidential elections, President Mutharika whose victory is being challenged in the constitution court by the opposition UTM party and MCP insisted the elections were free, fair and credible.

“All international observers and foreign governments praised us for conducting what they described as ‘peaceful, free, fair, credible and professionally managed’ elections. These are not my words. This is history written on record,” said Mutharika

He added: “Unfortunately, very unfortunately, some people decided to respond to their election defeat by inciting violence, spreading intimidation and victimizing innocent people. In the name of expressing their rights, they have inflicted painful suffering in Malawians. In the name of democratic rights

“All this was done simply to create anarchy, frustrate the economy and create suffering in you Malawians. The whole political logic was to create misery and suffering in order to create anger and incite the people against Government. This is being done in the name of democracy,”

The Malawian leader then called upon political party leaders and Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) leadership to be agents of peace not violence.