Petra UK wing calls for Bingu to go
Malawians in Luton Town, UK on Saturday marked Malawi’s Martyrs Day commemoration by launching a branch of the People’s Transformation Party (Petra) UK wing in the area amid strong calls for unity with stakeholders to engage in a fierce fight against President Bingu wa Mutharika’s despotism.
The wing’s chairperson Prisca Juma Phiri-Jere told the meeting that Mutharika have overstayed his warmth in Malawi saying it is high time the opposition in Malawi come together send the DPP into political oblivion.
“As we celebrate the lives of those who fought for our country’s freedom, we must reflect where we are coming from but at the same time look into the situation we are in today in order to forge into a viable future that will make our country a better place.
“Bingu and his DPP have turned our country into a wreck and we need all stakeholders to rebuild our country back to a glorious fold,” said Juma-Phiri.
Juma Phiri-Jere said it is high time that all opposition parties in Malawi come together as a united front.
She said: “If the opposition remain as divided as it is, the DPP will continue to plunder the country’s hard fought democracy. We are all tired with Bingu and his arrogance and we are all fed up with DDP’s cheap politics which does not accommodate critics. What is democracy if people cannot hold opposing views or fight for what is right?”
During the meeting the party’s steering committee was ushered in and Steve Chijota was elected as Luton branch president. Madalitso Sapala was elected as vice president while Annie Gomonda emerged as a treasure deputised by Amos Phiri while Dave Fwefwe Chirwa was tasked with a responsibility as an executive linking coordinator.
Getrude Kuntaja-Chijota, Christopher Magalasi, Rachel Davis, Paul Phiri, Peter Zodetsa, Patricia Chirwa, Grace Enweani, Godwin Chijota and Stanley Kandaya were all elected as executive committee members.
Chijota said he was very excited to be elected as the party’s branch leader for Luton adding that he and his committee will do all it can to help the opposition in Malawi get rid of Mutharika and the DPP in 2014.
“Malawi is no longer the same under Mutharika and the DPP and as the youth residing in the diaspora we have a collective responsibility to fight against the evils of the current regime. Malawi belongs to us all and not to any one family, if we entrusted someone to lead us and he is failing to do his job then the solution is to take them out,” said Chijota.
On her part, Annie Gomonda who is also the secretary of the committee said Malawi needs a complete political overhaul and bring in new blood and faces into the system.
“A journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step as the Chinese say so we must start now to take that step to fight Mutharika’s autocratic government.”
Petra UK wing publicist Fides Jim Kachale said in an interview that Petra is up for the challenge to take out the DPP from power in 2014.
“I have heard some people saying Petra is a small party, but don’t we have to start from somewhere to be big? To those who say Petra is a small party, I can tell them that Petra has big brains and personalities who are ready and willing to work with all stakeholders in Malawi to change things for the better.”
Manchester-based Petra UK wing executive secretary, Madalitso Makonyola expressed satisfaction with the Luton chapter and how they conducted themselves during the elections describing them not only free and fair but democratic.
