By Patrick Ndawala
Mighty Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) running mate, Atupele Muluzi on Wednesday stormed his home district of Machinga with a call for people to vote for the DPP-UDF Alliance.
Muluzi who is also Minister of Energy asked people who gathered at Michongwe Primary School to vote for the DPP/UDF presidential candidate in the forthcoming fresh presidential election.
“I have travelled every corner of the country and one thing that people are saying is that they want the current government to continue ruling the country. But for that to happen all of us need to go and vote for President Peter Mutharika on June 23,” he said.
Muluzi said the current administration has lined up a number of development programmes for the district including the construction of Nsamana-Nayuchi Road.
He said the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and United Transformation Movement (UTM) ‘sponsored’ violent demonstrations only show how retrogressive the country would be if voted into power.
“People have suffered quite a lot because of the so-called demonstrations. Houses have been burnt and others including a police officer have lost their lives. We cannot trust MCP and the Tonse Alliance to rule this country,” he said.
Muluzi also reminded people of Machinga of the many atrocities people suffered for 31 years under the MCP reign, saying the Eastern Region was sidelined from development as the region was perceived as ‘Protestants territory.’
He, therefore, asked for an independent probe into the shooting of a 17-year-old boy and a woman during a UTM whistle-stop tour last week in the district.
“What happened to this 17-year-old boy is criminal and we want an independent investigation. How can someone who is vying for the country’s presidency instruct his body guards to shoot unarmed person?” wondered the young Muluzi.
Muluzi also encouraged grass root supporters of both DPP and UDF to work together in wooing votes for the alliance.
“We have a common goal to develop this country and the word ‘democratic’ in the two parties should only consolidate our relationship. So, from today, let us work together,” he advised.
DPP Director of Women in the Eastern Region, Eluby Kandeu described Atupele the Vice President in waiting and not a running mate, saying people in the eastern region have already agreed to vote for President Mutharika and Muluzi in the June 23 Fresh Presidential Elections.
Member of Parliament for Machinga Central East, Esther Jolobala thanked Mutharika for choosing Atupele to be his running mate in the forthcoming election.
She said Muluzi is a youthful leader who can ably represent the interests of young people in the country.
Jolobala, therefore, urged her constituents to support Muluzi and the DPP/UDF Alliance by re-electing Mutharika at the fresh polls.
