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Chilima urges people to wait for UTM-MCP alliance outcome as talks underway

Malawian Vice President Salous Chilima has publicly confirmed that UTM Party is in talks with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for a possible electoral alliance for the forthcoming fresh presidential elections.

Earlier this week UTM Publicity Secretary Joseph Chidanti Malungu told the media that UTM has set up a committee to hold alliance talks with MCP.

Chilima at a rally in Mzuzu

And on Saturday, MCP released a statement that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has mandated its president Lazarous Chakwera to enter into alliance talks with his counterpart Chilima and also set up an MCP committee for the same.

Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at upper Mzuzu Stadium on Sunday, Chilima said UTM and MCP are still discussing the alliance and that once a decision is made the nation will be informed.

” We are talking with our friends in MCP. The nation will be informed about the outcome of the talks and the decision to be on the alliance,” said Chilima.

He assured the people that the decision that will be made will be meant to help the UTM will the fresh elections.

Also UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliati spoke on the alliance issue, assuring the nation that the discussions are going on and that the nation will be informed of the outcome.

Kaliati urged the youth to register enmasse when registration opens so as to enable UTM amass enough votes in the fresh elections.

Earlier, Chilima spend much of his time reminding the gathering and the nation about the UTM manifesto.

He said UTM was formed to give hope to all Malawians, regardless of age , region or party affiliation.

” We must constantly be reminded that the UTM came to ensure that people in Malawi are happy regardless of their political persuasion,” he stated.

Chilima said UTM manifesto is the best as it outlines transformational policies such as cheap fertilizer, fixing agriculture and health sectors as well as uplifting the welfare of the youth, women and the elderly.

” We still maintain that it is imperative that we fix agriculture in Malawi. We must start reducing the price of fertilizer from over K20,000 to K4,500 to allow more poor Malawians access the commodity,” he said. Chilima said there is a critical need to reform the public sector to ensure that public services are given to Malawians at the required standard.

This was the second rally Chilima has held since the Constitutional Court on February 3, 2020 nullfied the May 21, 2019 elections and ordered fresh elections within 150 days.

The first rally was held at Masintha ground in Lilongwe and was also attended by a multitude of people.

Suleman, Bendulo and Lackson storms Zomba – Cadets dumps DPP for MCP as Great Hall cancels booking for public lecture.

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By Chalo Mvula 

They were thrown into the limelight by the constitutional court case  as they appeared as witnesses for the opposition Malawi Congress Party in the just ended election case.  However , Daud Suleman, Anthony Bendulo and Peter Lackson have decided to utilise their new found fame to sensitize the youth  on the need for them to get involved in politics . Travelling across the country as a group calling itself Kokoliliko , the trio are engaging in charitable works while using  that interaction to drive through their message of youth engagements in both aspects of the political spectrum.  

Kokoliliko  were in Zomba this Saturday where they embarked on a number of engagements. The group started the day by attending prayers at Chanco SDA . They then took time to visit  Passion Orphanage in Matawale where they shared the little goodies they had prepared to about 45 less privileged children who are cared for, at the orphanage. “ It is our aim, not just to focus on the politics  but also to visit the underpriviledged , our message is about inspiring the new generation so thats why we felt necessary to bring a little something for these orphans” said Daud Suleman. 

Part of the Kokoliliko group

Kokoliliko has been formed  upon the realisation of lack of understanding of electoral process by a good number of Malawians. It is aimed at sensitizing the youths  to have great understanding so that they can be used as effective monitors during the elections.The tours which started in the Northern Region a few weeks ago have aimed at explaining  what happened in the constitutional court to have the court case won by the opposition parties as well as encouraging the youths to vote for Dr Lazarus Chakwera in the forthcoming elections 

The Zomba tour also saw team have informal chats with small scale traders plying their trade in Chinamwali market before going on to conduct a rally  Chinamwali Township. The climax of the trip was when several members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) , announced that they were defecting to Malawi Congress Party. The former DPP cadets were welcomed amidst  jubilation and ululation. 

The group however had a minor setback as despite  booking the use of the Great Hall at Chancellor College for their Public lecture , they were told last minute that the booking had been cancelled.  “ We booked to use Great hall from 6pm but were surprised to be told our booking had been cancelled “ said Suleman. This however, did not deter the group as they  managed to speak to the people that came to attend the lecture outdoors using the sport complex at the campus. Efforts to find out from the university administrators on why the booking was cancelled has proved futile. 

The kokoliliko crew are scheduled to be in Blantyre this sunday where they have also planned a number of public lectures 

Cadets dumps DPP for MCP

Kazombo embarks on whistle stop tours to promote Chakwera

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By Chalo Mvula 

Malawi Congress Party Campaign Director for the centre Madalitso Kazombo   is leaving no stone unturned as he has embarked on whistle stop tours in the region trying to galvanise support for the party and its leadership as the country prepares for fresh elections scheduled for May 19th

Kazombo who is also the first deputy speaker of Parliament,  took time to travel along Kamuzu road in Salima where he meet and addressed hundreds of people.  Speaking to the eagerly anticipating supporters,  Kazombo reiterated that his mission is to remind people about the Chakwera  Super Hi 5 agenda  and to encourage them to go and vote in the forthcoming elections. 

Kazombo , on whistle stop tours

Kazombo spoke highly of Chakwera and promised the people that the only leader who can rescue Malawi and bring development to the country is Chakwera.  Kazombo who  prides himself in being a son of Malawi Congress Party  faced critisism  prior to the whistle stop tour as some media houses claimed he had spoken highly of President Peter Mutharika at a government function that took place at BICC. 

Addressing the issue through his social media handles, Kazombo has made it clear that he has no time for cheap propaganda that some people are trying to play . He said his focus in to hit the ground and campaign for Chakwera so that  MCP should win the elections “ Learn to say the truth ,  I am not moved by lies and would encourage everyone to watch the rebrodcast  of my speech, and let the journalists who wrote the story rewrite  their story . I am MCP and I will die MCP “ said Kazombo. 

Kazombo is optimistic that MCP will do even better  and encouraged all members to tireless campaign for Chakwera.  

MCP national executive opens door for possible UTM Alliance

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By Chalo Mvula 

The opposition Malawi Congress Party National executive has  passed a resolution which opens the door for possible electoral alliance with United Transformation Party (UTM)  

In a statement by the party’s publicity secretary Rev Maurice Munthali, that national executive met on Friday evening  and in Pursuant to Article 3(12) of the Constitution of Malawi Congress Party on the need to work with other political parties with which MCP shares “a common vision”, they agreed to give the President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, full powers to enter negotiations with his UTM counterpart on the prospect of an alliance between the two parties. 

This decision mirrors the step taken by UTM who a few days ago elected a working committer to work on possibility of electoral alliance with MCP. UTM leader Dr Saulos Chilima is on record having said he is open to working with other parties as long as it is good for Malawi.  

MCP has previously used the same part of Constitutional to enter into alliances with Joyce Banda’s Peoples Party and Khumbo Kachali’s Freedom Party.  

 In giving further information, Munthali said “The resolution also gives the President full powers to constitute a qualified team to support his pursuit of an alliance through negotiations with the UTM team designated for that purpose. By implication, the President has been given the mandate to ascertain such terms of an alliance agreement as will be most beneficial for Malawi and its people” 

MCP publicity secretary Rev Maurice Munthali

Since the Constitutional court ordered fresh elections, political parties have been busy repositioning themselves. The need for 50 plus 1 for the winner has seen the ruling Democratic Progressive Party(DPP) enter into an alliance with United Democratic Front (UDF)  

On why Malawi Congress Party has opted for this decision, Mauric Munthali said “The MCP NEC believes that empowering the party President with this mission is the best way to harness the national gains that both parties have cultivated together with all patriotic Malawians over the last eight months in which the whole nation fixed its gaze on the Constitutional Court where the MCP and UTM presidents were both petitioners. Knowing that the court case was a fight for justice and the political rights of every voter aggrieved by MEC’s mismanagement of the 2019 presidential election, the MCP NEC is confident that the negotiations with UTM will be conducted in good faith and bear fruit to help galvanize the majority of the electorate towards victory and lasting change in the fresh elections scheduled for Tuesday, 19th May 2020”. 

 It is said that the National executive resolution conforms to the Malawi Congress Party’s well-established value of contact and dialogue, its inimitable sensitivity to the aspirations of Malawians, and its quest for A New Malawi.  

Government completes Bullets, Wanderers stadia designs

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Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture has completed drawing designs for Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers football clubs stadia.

President Professor Peter Mutharika announced in January last year that government would construct two stadia for the giant teams.

Bullets picked land in Zingwangwa near Moneymen Growth Centre along Chikwawa Road while Wanderers opted for land near Kanjedza Forest in Limbe West opposite Blantyre Teacher Training College.

Mwanamveka

In April, the stakeholders including Malawi National Council of Sports, the line Ministry and Blantyre City Council, handed over the land earmarked for the projects, which will cost K1.7 billion for both stadia.

Speaking in Parliament on Friday last week when he presented the Mid-Year Budget Review Statement, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Joseph Mwanamvekha said procurement of contractors and the commencement of the projects are at an advanced stage.

Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture Francis Phiso in an interview said government has used its preferred choice of designs.

“We met officials of the two clubs and they made their input on the designs and told us areas of improvement. We have taken into account of what they advised us to do and now what is remaining is for us to advertise and identify the contractor,” said Phiso.

In an interview Bullets Chief Administration Officer Albert Chigoga said: “this is a good gesture by the government, a gift is a gift and to us, we only appreciate what government has done.

“We will not be looking at the tiny details but we are looking at this with a bigger picture which is that government is building us a stadium. We are praying for the commencement of the project which will make our supporters very happy.”

On his part, Wanderers General Secretary Victor Maunde said he has to consult the committee which was set up to pursue the project before commenting.