Mwenifumbo says UDF to trim presidential powers: Atupele’s ‘new beginning’ focus on inclusice growth and governance

United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi’s running mate, Frank Mwenifumbo on Sunday talked tough on governance, saying once voted into power, the UDF-led government would drastically reduce presidential powers.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Kasungu, Mwenifumbo said the concentration of power in one person, the State President, is what makes some of them slide into dictatorship.

“I believe that Kamuzu Banda was not a bad person but the system made him a dictator. Bakili Muluzi was not a bad person at all but the unilateral system was. Bingu wa Mutharika was not all that bad, but the system. Joyce Banda and the current Head of State were not bad but the system is to blame,” said Mwenifumbo.

He said in this regard, there was need to review the presidential powers, take away some of them from the head of state and give it to other relevant organs of the government.

Mwenifumbo said once voted into power, the UDF-led government would create state governors who will have some powers over their regions, saying this way, the nation would be assured of equitable development across the country.

In the last seating of parliament, ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators shot down a proposal to take away the powers from the president of appointing the director of graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Mwenifumbo therefore went on further to warn voters that those perceived to be good people now have the potential to become dictators too.

He went on to assert that the nation made a structural political mistake when people voted for transition and not transformation of this country by simply replacing  one individual with another without necessary  transforming  the system which up to now bears the tentacles of dictatorship.