Malawi’s DPP apologises for its past sins

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesman Nicholous Dausi has apologised for the party’s past mistakes during its time in government.

The party has since regretted its grave sins which include the economic mess, human rights violations, threats to close down newspapers, banning government advertising in some media outlets and passing repressive laws.

”We may have made mistakes here and there that are regrettable,” Dausi told Nyasa Times.

“We had governance challenges that made people lose trust in us. We won’t repeat those. We have to accept our mistakes, acknowledge and correct,” he added.

Dausi said DPP was currently on rebranding process inorder to be in line with the will of the people.

”Just like what the scripture says, repent and be a changed one, we have worked out our shortfalls and ensure that we dont make similar mistakes again once we are back in government,” he added.

DPP was relegated to opposition in April 2012 when controversial president late Bingu wa Mutharika died in office and Joyce Banda, who was vice president and formed her Peopls Party after being expelled from DPP, took over power.

At Mutharika’s funeral in Thyolo, the then DPP secretary general Wakuda Kamanga (now joined PP) issued the first apology.

Then in July 2012, party president Peter Mutharika sought peace with Malawians over DPP errors.

During another rally in Mzuzu, he said the party was sorry for the 20 July killings. This was a departure from his brother who said the victims were looters under Satan’s guidance.

However, Malawians demanded DPP to explain the evils the party committed when in power and make an honest apology to earn the nation’s forgiveness, according to a survey a leading newspaper carried.

Nation on Sunday said 66 percent of the respondents  to its survey rejected the party’s apologies as insincere, only meant to seek votes and sympathy from Malawians now that the party has found itself in opposition.

But Dausi said respondents in the survey may have been people with “pathological personal grudges with DPP or personalities therein.”

Dausi insisted that the party was serious in its apologies.

“We were not only serious but also concerned. It’s only proper to acknowledge that mistakes were made and move forward. I don’t think Malawians can be so hard-hearted as not to accept an apology and yet claim to be a Christian nation,” said Dausi.

Regional Conferences

Meanwhile, Dausi said the party is conducting pre-convention consultative meetings dubed ‘Regional Conferences’ to solicit input on its constitution and manifestos. The party has already been in southern and eastern regions.

”On Thursday we will be in central region before moving to the north on Friday. Mainly we want to have people’s inputs on what we should incorporate in our manifesto and amended constitution as well as what they expect us to do once in power. ”

Their suggestions will be adopted and incorporated for final approval at the convention in April.

DPP is expected to hold its three-day convention in April in Lilongwe to elect its executive committee and the 2014 presidential candidate.

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