UDF presents a 2012 ‘panacea’ for Mutharika
Despite incessant leadership problems rocking the United Democratic Front (UDF), the party has lived to its billing as an opposition party by presenting to the DPP led government a New Year ‘panacea’ for some of the hardships Malawi is facing today.
“The UDF expects President Mutharika in 2012 to learn to listen and respect alternative views from stakeholders. He must also remove the executive arrogance and adversarial syndrome that characterizes his government in 2011,” UDF said.
The party led by Friday Jumbe said in a statement and a copy made available to Nyasa Times.
Titled “The Current State of Affairs” – the statement offers advice on unity and reconciliation, the economic situation, Health Care, Foreign Affairs, the repeal of bad laws among others.
On Fuel, UDF reiterated that the problem does not have roots on lack of storage capacity but rather on the unavailability of adequate forex.
“The construction of storage tanks will be another White Elephant Project that will take away required financial resources to support other sectors. The Oil Industry has enough storage capacity to keep adequate stock for up to 20 days,” UDF statement said.
But government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati said UDF has nothing new to offer because “it is a party fighting for its own survival.”
Stock taking
UDF then called on President Mutharika to cautiously take stock of the present system so that in the New Year social justice prevail to ensure that the national cake is shared evenly.
“The current scenario where one has to be from a particular tribe, and from a particular zone to access employment, contracts, Licences and other public services promote nepotism, patronage and tribalism.
“The UDF believes in unity and diversity and the promotion of one Malawi, one nation, one country and one people. The UDF does not believe in the promotion on any superior tribe or clan at the expense of others,” the statement said.
UDF then implored President Mutharika to face reality and desist from the blame game.
The former governing party would like the Mutharika regime to explain to the people of Malawi on the short, medium and long term strategies that the government has put in place to arrest the dangerous economic decline.
“Government must introduce coping mechanism that will help in the mitigation of the socio-economic hardships that Malawians are facing today rather than…remain engaged in a spirit of denial,” the statement said.
UDF noted that the problems Malawi is facing are now beyond the resolution by one person and one party alone.
“We are more than ready to work with other stakeholders to assist this government to resolve some of the problems…because we believe that this country has capable people of high calibre and with relevant experience,” UDF reiterated.
Repeal bad law
The party also asked government to ensure the speedy repeal of all bad laws that have contributed to the current governance impasse.
UDF said Penal Code amendment Section 46, Civil procedures Act, Police Act, Local Government Act amendment should not have found their way into our laws.
“The fact that the Law Commission in the past had made recommendations during the UDF regime and that the UDF did not take the Laws to the Parliament should inform the DPP led government that UDF did not believe in the enactment of these recommendations as Laws.
“The UDF believes that any law that tramples on the rights of citizens (majority or minority) is bad and should not be taken to parliament for enactment,” UDF said.
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