DPP trashes MCP claims on federalism

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says the party leadership has never bribed anybody to speak against federalism.

DPP Publicity Secretary Francis Lazaro Kasaila was commenting on what opposition Malawi Congress Paryy (MCP) spokeswoman Dr Jessie Kabwila said last week that those who are eating the money are the ones rejecting federalism.

Kabwila was trashing a  newspaper report which conducted an opinion poll which  said if a bill were introduced in Parliament, on whether Malawi should adopt federal State or not, 61% of parliamentarians would reject the bill.

The Weekend Nation sampled 122 members of parliament out of 193 MPs through telephone, short message service, and electronic mail.

Out of the respondents, 75 (61 Percent) of them said they would vote against Federalism while 30 (22 Percent) of the MPs said they would support federalism while 14 were undecided.

But reacting to the poll Kabwira said there is nothing new because MCP has always maintained that those who are enjoying tax payers money are the ones rejecting federalism.

However, commenting on what Kabwila said, Kasaila hinted that the issue smacks dishonest to the side of the MCP.

“Every Malawian should be given the similar opportunity to speak his or her mind. In the one party regime, when the leader speaks anything, anybody was required to follow but in today’s dispensation Malawians are free to express themselves and as DPP we wish to encourage freedom of expression,” said Kasaila in an interview with Nyasa Times.

“What we are hearing from MCP is historical perspective of what they believed in that when their leader says one thing everybody was supposed to say the same, and today they think Malawians will follow that kind of thinking.

“Secondly, what we are seeing from the action of MCP is that they are toeing whatever People’s Party is proposing in other ways we have seen them fighting government on the issue of federalism which is propelled by PP,” said Kasaila.

He continued: “In our analysis what we are finding is that probably MCP would like to hide something so that they would want PP to be in control other than DPP since currently we have seen a good number of MCP members being convicted in the infamous cash gate but the party has never come out clearly condemning their members against stealing government money.

“Having said that it is not true that UDF members or anybody speaking against federalism is being given money.”

Kasaila said MCP is supporting federalism because their members got money from the former PP regime.

He said the President Peter Mutharika has already given his position on the matter, allowing Malawians to discuss the issue soberly and within the parameters of the law and Malawians will make decision on the matter and not few individuals.

Kabwira told Nyasa Times that MPs who are rejecting federalism are those from government side who are enjoying the taxes of the ordinary Malawians.

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