By Chikondi Manjawira
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The opposition United Democratic Front party (UDF) says is ready to hold its convention come August 1, 2018.
This was revealed at a UDF political rally which the partys president Atupele Muluzi presided over at Dessert grounds in Bangwe, Blantyre on Sunday.
Addressing the crowd that gathered at the rally, Muluzi emphasized on the strength and independence of his party despite being in partnership with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party hence ready to contest in the 2019 Tripartite elections.
On his candidature in 2019 elections, Muluzi stressed that he is democratic and that the presidential candidate for the party will be elected at the convention.
“The party is ready to hold its convention, there is constitution which requires the committee to submit its proposals on how to be managing the convention to National Executive Committee which will be meeting in the next few weeks to finalize the whole management of the convention. UDF is a democratic party and I believe in democracy and that is why I believe it is important to open up the race to any interested person that wants to compete on UDF platform.
“There is also an interest to make sure there is a level playing field, so far there is one person who has shown interest to contest at the convention and is very free to campaign within the party and that makes me very proud to be a member of this party because it allows freedom to express ourselves and compete freely, therefore we are looking forward to a credible convention in August. It is no secret that I am presenting myself at the convention, I will contest at the convention if the people in the party choose me to contest as the partys president,” he said.
Muluzi said UDF as a party is against poverty, high levels of unemployed youth and lack of businesses among the young people.
As a young person, he understands today’s generation and respect for elders hence have the ability to help youth grow with their talents.
He also expressed his worry on the fact that many young people are not given an opportunity to to be heard and expose their different talents.
He said his party provides platform for youth to develop and improve their lives. He also tackled on the importance of the electorates to vote for those people who will bring developmental issues on the ground not party T-shirts and cloths.
On his part UDFs General Secretary Kandi Kadambo said UDF follows its constitution which says those interested to contest at convention have to pay a fee and get nomination forms and that so far, there is overwhelming number of those people who have interest to compete in various positions at the convention but the number will be confirmed when all the interested candidates fulfill the requirements.
“We are independent regardless of the partnership we have with DPP. Our party will contest independently in 2019 and chances are high that UDF will win the presidential candidacy come 2019 because it has good developmental policies.
“The relationship which is in existence with DPP aims at supporting each other in parliament by ensuring that the agreed programs in parliament pass into laws of the country for the betterment of Malawi as a country,” he said.
Kadambo cited Malindi Ward win as an example that people believe in UDF and that as a party it is optimistic it will take the government in May 2019 elections.
Atuple Muluzi, UDF president who is also the Minister of Health in the current government will turn 40 this year.
