Tag Archives: Loveness Gondwe

Politics

Former MCP District chairpersons join Chilima Movement; say enough of political torture

Maravi Post Reporter 1 Comment

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The disgruntled former Malawi Congress Party (MCP) district chairpersons drawn across the country on Tuesday joined the vice president Saulos Chilima’s United Transformation Movement (UTM).

Led by Chatonda Kaunda who served as MCP deputy secretary general, the grouping which comprised of the party’s central region committee (about 65 members) confessed that were tired of MCP political torture.

Kaunda told the news conference in the capital Lilongwe that MCP leadership did not want the elderly in its structures hence the defection to UTM.

“They told us that we are now too old to serve in the party. Having looked around, we realised that UTM can embrace us and they have indeed welcomed us with all warm arms. We are now home, the thing is to ensure that the party gets into power,” said Kaunda.

UTM’s Spokesperson, Dr. Chidanti Malunga the joining of the MCP old guards testifies how popular is the striking across the country.

Dr Malunga said that for UTM to claim vitory in 2019 tripartite elections, requires everyone to participate fully in its agenda not only youths.

“Allow me to clarify that indeed we certainly preach youthful leadership, but that does not mean we will throw away any vote outside the bracket. They have come to join us, to support us, and vote for us. They are not not looking for positions. No big deal

“We should be careful with critics who will always find and fault in everything we do. For Saulosi Klaus Chilima to win, we need votes, and these votes can come from from all ages,” emphasised Malunga.

However, the speaker of the National Assembly who is also former MCP vice president Richard Msowoya is expected to be formally welcomed into the movement family on Saturday at Masintha ground in Lilongwe during the launch of the movement.

Meanwhile, in the north, Loveness Gondwe and 21 others say they will contest the parliamentary elections on the UTM ticket.

Gondwe, former deputy speaker of parliament, was Aford member before she defected to MCP before dumping it to join the movement.

The UTM is becoming popular day by day which all political giant parties must not underrate its existence a head of 2019 general elections.

Politics

“Stand up against DPP’s impunity leadership,” opposition parties tell Malawians

Maravi Post correspondent
Opposition leaders at the pres conference

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- Malawi’s opposition political parties, on Thursday stood up with one voice calling on Malawians to take serious actions against the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) impunity leadership.

Addressing the news conference in the capital Lilongwe, the opposition parties including the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Peoples Party (PP), United Transformation Party (UTP), National Rainbow Coalition (NRC), Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (MAFUNDE), Peoples Progressive Movement (PPM), United Party (UP) and New Labor Party (NLP), outlined 17 concerns that are affecting Malawians.

Among the key issues are political persecution of opposition leaders, the disputed Lilongwe City South East elections, parastatals misconduct of funding DPP functions, the flopping of the Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP), unchecked public resources plundering, the unrealistic public reforms, corruption, and dubious government transactions among others.

The opposition political parties accused President Peter Mutharika of lack of leadership direction, compounded by nepotism, tribalism, and regionalistic tendencies of running the state affairs.

They said the concerns raised must be addressed for the best interest of Malawians, and affirmed that they are not looking for power.

The opposition parties therefore, called on Malawians to seriously  their leader to task when running the affairs of the nation.

“Ever since President Peter Mutharika assumed office two-and-half years ago, there has been a record number of scandals involving corruption, waste, fraud, outright theft, impunity, and embezzlement of public funds and properties.

“His detractors have called his government a government of shameless thieves who are plundering public resources. Instead, Mutharika responds by challenging them to bring evidence. Yet these are exactly what the public sector reforms were expected to put an end to this. Clearly, the public sector scandals reforms are treating the symptoms and leaving the disease untreated,” read the grand statement signed by MCP Chakwera, PP Ulandi Mussa, PPM Katsonga Phiri, NRC Lovenes Gondwe, MAFUNDE George Mnesa, NLP Sam Mpasu, UTP Newton Kambala and UP John Chisi.

When asked if the joint conference sends signals of standing as one block in the 2019 elections, Mpasu said their stand was to raise issues affecting Malawians but the time was not ripe for a coalition.

On what specific action will they take towards DPP failure, the opposition block asked Malawians to seriously demand quality leadership from Mutharika.

“We can’t ask Mutharika to resign but Malawians themselves who are feeling the pinch of this bad leadership, have the means to remove the leadership or to sustain it as they have the power to do so.

“We are here with these concerns as the way of dialoging with Malawians that we are with them, that is up to them to act before it’s too late,” NRC Gondwe said.

Government spokesperson Nicolas Dausi, is yet to react to the opposition accusation over its poor leadership.