Peter Mutharika tells Mwanza rally JB ‘clueless’: Upbeat DPP to rule Malawi again
Malawi’s former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is proving to be one of a tough contender come 2014 if the mammoth of crowd that mobbed the party’s presidentiald candidate Peter Mutharika’s visits in Mwanza and Neno districts are anything to go by.
On Tuesday, Mutharika and his DPP entourage stormed Mwanza and Neno in their three-day southern region whistle-stop tour, with the party officials taking turn to speak on President Joyce Banda’s administration shortfalls.
First stop was at Tulankhondo in Mwanza where the party’s publicity secretary, Nicholas Dausi was first to take swipe at Banda, blaming her for creating hunger in the country just one year in power.
“Mayi wabwerayu alibe nzeru, apha anthu ndi njala (she is brainless and she is going to kill many with her man-made hunger). If the situation is not resolved in time, many people will die this year due to hunger. There is no security. People want development, maize to be available and respect for chiefs,” said Dausi.
His sentiments were echoed by Mutharika, who described Banda as “clueless leader”, claiming she is busy arresting people anyhow due to unfounded fears.
Mutharika assured people of food abundance, medicine availability and continued development once DPP is voted back in power during the 2014 tripartite elections.
“I am ready to fight for our party DPP to get back in power next year. Be assured that once you vote us in power, we will continue with the development projects that late Bingu wa Mutharika initiated. We will construct good roads, more hospitals and medicine will be available. It’s questionable that government is failing to procure medicine, where is the money meant for that going?”
Mutharika said he was on whistle-tour just to sell out his identity and urged people to register in large numbers if they are to boot Banda out of power, come next year.
“I urge you to go and register in your large numbers if we are to be back in government next year. If we are to vote out Joyce Banda, you need to register now. She has nothing to offer apart from insults. She is insulting the dead body of Bingu, which cannot respond to those insults,” he said.
Mutharika said Malawi has a lot of problems some that were not present when his late brother Bingu was ruling the country.
” There are a lot of problems here in Malawi at the moment, problems that were not there when the late Bingu was alive, like the high prices and the scarcity of maize and other foods. When the late Bingu was alive were you buying maize at 7,000 kwacha a Bag of 50kg on a day like today?
“Right now there is scarcity of medicine in hospitals, burglaries everywhere; selling of MANEB examinations in schools are like tomato sales. Taking power away from the traditional chiefs seem to be the norm, disrespecting the police and a lot more problems exist nowadays.”
He promised that he wants to build 5 universities in the country, to open Malawi University of Science and Technology at Ndata in Thyolo as well as build teacher’s training colleges and take care of the teachers.
Mutharika, who once served as Minister of Education, said his government will build vocational schools all over the country where people and the youth can attend training sessions to learn craftsmanship like carpentry and building during the evenings or weekends giving them time to work during the day.
He reminded the people that our current government promised the nation that the youth will be going to Korea to school which was not true, and that he will make sure that he brings to life what he is committed to the country and the people of Malawi.
The DPP torch bearer further said Banda was busy claiming credit on Bingu’s already initiated projects, adding she has been busy distributing sand-mixed fertilizers that has contributed gravely to the looming food crisis.
Mutharika then bemoaned that the country was now full of hatred, a thing which has deterred the nation from making strides in terms of development.
Present during the whistle-stop tours that extended to Mwanza Boma and part of Neno, were regional governor for DPP south Noel Masangwi, organizing secretary Chimwemwe Chipungu, Dausi among other notable faces.
However, at Mwanza Boma, former information minister Patricia Kaliati stole the show when the crowd demanded for her speech and despite not being on the program, the outspoken DPP Director of Women Affairs, could not resist it but to take it to the podium and threw a jibe on Banda, mockingly referring her to a “white-man maid.”
“Amangoti azungu andiuza, is Malawi for white people? Before she took over, there was no hunger in Malawi, but now we are buying a bag of maize at higher price,” Kaliati hit out amidst cheers and ululation from the crowd.
On Sunday, Mutharika while in his tour in Lhomwe belt, accused Banda of being after his late brother’s wealth.
The young Mutharika told the gathering of DPP supporters in Mulanje and Thyolo that Banda was currently on the leash to seize late Bingu wa Mutharika’s deceased estate, clearly demonstrating how cruel she is.
Currently, DPP has demanded Yeremia Chihana and The Daily Times and Nation Publication Limited to justify their stories on Chihana’s late Mutharika’s alleged K61 billion or face lawsuit on defamation.
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