APM raps Tonse Alliance administration for lacking direction and skyrocketing cost of living
President of the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika on Sunday took the trouble to remind Malawians the mistake they made by voting him out of the government in the court-sanctioned Fresh Presidential Election on June 23, 2020.
In his State of the Nation Address delivered from his retirement home in Mangochi, Mutharika said within merely a year of its rule, the Tonse Alliance-backed administration has demonstrated lack of leadership and direction as the economy is fast collapsing while the cost of living keeps skyrocketing.
“We are gravely concerned that one year has ended without any policy direction which is being worsened every day with a conspicuous lacking of leadership on issues that affect Malawians. As a result, the country is fast being destroyed and nobody is telling us where we are taking the country and the 18 million souls we carry,” said the US-trained law professor.
On the recent diplomatic row with South Africa, Mutharika said DPP and all Malawians who love this country should be worried that within one year, Malawi is in a serious diplomatic crisis in the region.
The octogenarian party leader claimed that Malawi is now being viewed with suspicion and it is fast losing its respect as a nation.
“This is dangerous for the country because we need the support of our neighbours for us to access ports, get fuel and drugs into the country, and maintain trade with our partners. We therefore urge Dr Lazarus Chawer and his govern to address the diplomatic problems we have created in South Africa and play a supportive role in Mozambique. Malawi is a landlocked country and we need our neighbours,” said APM as he is fondly called by his followers.
Mutharika further expressed concern over the hurting economy, saying majority of Malawians now cannot afford a decent living.
He said under one year of the administration of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, the economy has drastically worsened with a critical shortage of forex, plummeting revenue, over-expenditure, excessive local borrowing and a falling Malawi Kwacha.
He said as a result, prices are rising out of control and every Malawian is suffering more than ever.
“The DPP kept the kwacha and prices of commodities stable for the six we were in government and we are wondering why the MCP Government is failing to do the same. Just before we left office, the DPP Government left K6.2 billion disbursed from Reserve Bank for addressing various COVID-19 challenges, including paying Social Cash Transfer to empower vendors and urban small scale businesses who would be affected by the pandemic and its regulation. Instead, they are arresting and persecuting civil servants to divert attention from the real thieves and culprits who gave the instructions and shared the money. Further, the current Government disbursed K17 billion which has also been stolen by the same people who are refusing to tell Malawians where the K17 billion has gone. We have an existing Office of the Auditor General whose officers are being paid to do their job every month: what does Government mean when they say they have no money to audit the K17 billion?” he asked.
“The Tonse Government accused the DPP of theft. But up to this day, the Government cannot quote any amount of money which the DPP Government and its officials stole from Treasury. In less than one year however, everyone knows that Dr Lazarus Chakwera, the MCP and their Tonse Government have stolen K23 billion that was intended to save Malawian lives from the COVID-19 pandemic. This K23 billion does not include other corrupt transactions and systematic plunder outside the COVID funds. Malawians now know who the real thieves are in this country,” added Mutharika.
He also faulted President Chakwera and his Tonse Alliance government for failing to initiate development projects of its own, saying this shows that the Malawi Congress Party has no agenda for developing this country.
The deposed Malawi leader reminded citizens who cared to listen that for 31 years, MCP failed to develop this country because the leadership then was preoccupied with persecuting Malawians more than developing the country.
Mutharika alleged that the same trend is now coming again, claiming MCP is focusing on arresting people, oppressing kabaza riders and bringing oppressive tax laws that are killing small businesses instead of focusing on developing the country.
“This matter is very troubling because the only reason any government goes in power is to develop the country and lives of the people. As such, any political party without an agenda for development does not deserve to stay in office. We have noted with grave concern the Malawi Congress Party and Government has resumed its repressive tactics of dictatorship which Malawians fought and conquered in 1994. We are seeing new repressive laws to legitimize this oppression, which is dangerous because Malawi will soon become a dictatorship by law. MCP Government has abandoned the rule of law and resumed arbitrary use of power to persecute people whom they find to be political threats. A classic example is that Dr Chakwera directed his government to freeze all bank accounts of Former President Peter Mutharika when the Former President has not committed any crime and is not answering any charges. Can Government explain to Malawians why it has frozen bank accounts of the Former President if they are not simply using arbitrary power to persecute its political opponents?” he asked.
On the election case, Mutharika said DPP has petitioned the courts to nullify the 2020 Presidential Election following the determination by the High Court that the Malawi Electoral Commission was illegal at the time overseeing the election and endorsing Dr Chakwera as a winner.
He reminded Malawians that the MCP Government, which he claimed is oppressing and persecuting Malawians, collapsing the economy, causing suffering, failing to develop this country and displaying lack of leadership and policy direction, is a government that robbed power and came into office with the help of the courts.
Mutharika said as such, they will continue fighting for justice to stop the oppression of Malawians and also rescue Malawi from destruction.
Ironically, DPP spokesperson Brown Mpinganjira recently asked Mutharika and all the party members to accept the presidency of Chakwera and offer him the support he needs to develop the country.
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