This is destiny, says Chakwera: ‘ It’s God-given opportunity to change Malawi’

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Dr Lazarus Chakwera the torchbearer for the grand opposition alliance with Vice-President Saulos Chilima of UTM Party  as his running has said the  fresh presidential elections is God-given opportunity to change the country’s destiny.

Chakwera was the first to present his nomination papers to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on MCP ticket for the July 2 fresh presidential election at Soche International Conference Centre at Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre.

Under the MCP banner, Chakwera is torchbearer for  the ‘Tonse Alliance’ which includes  UTM, People’s Party, Freedom Party, Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (Mafunde), People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), Umodzi Party, Alliance for Democracy (Aford) and People’s Transformation (Petra).

In his speech with his signature American accent, Chakwera, a former church cleric said many dark forces have laboured to prevent the fresh election but they have failed, because “no force on earth can stop the change God has decreed for us”.

He said Malawians have a date with destiny.

“For 26 years, Malawi’s wealth has been plundered, its institutions paralyzed, and its citizens impoverished by a toxic dynasty of two families, but God has given us another chance to choose change. That is destiny,” said Chakwera as Chilima stood next to him.

He said for 26 years Malawi’s democracy has been hijacked by “cheats whose hold on power is built on fraudulent elections, violent campaigns, tribal voting, and minority rule.”

But he said God has given Malawi the fresh election to restore every voter’s power to bring change and every voter’s right to enjoy its fruits.

“That is destiny,” he declared.

He also noted that Malawi’s Vice-Presidents have been mistreated, underutilized, harassed, and slandered, “ but God has given us Dr. Chilima, whose courage has confronted this disease and answered the call to cure it on behalf of all Malawians. That is destiny.”

Chakwera said God has given Malawi the Tonse Alliance of 9 parties to “tear down the walls that divide us and build the bridges needed to unite us. That is destiny.”

He said the destiny is a Malawi of better life for all not the few.

“It is a destiny that has survived six years of broken promises from a President who  has failed to govern. It is a destiny that has survived the acrimony of the 2019 campaign and the robbery of the 2019 elections.

“It is a destiny that has survived the lawlessness of this Malawi Electoral Commission. It is a destiny that has survived a year of civil unrest and violence. It is a destiny that has survived 12 months of court battles. It is a destiny that has survived attempts to bribe judges and pervert justice. It is a destiny that has survived petrol bombs, teargas, and arbitrary arrests. It is a destiny that has survived a pandemic threat and the abuse of public offices and resources in the middle of it,” said Chakwera.

The presidential hopeful said the unity in opposition is a dream of a new Malawi which has brought him together with Chilima, “not as rivals, and not even as candidate and running mate, but as partners in the service of Malawi.”

He concluded: “Together, let us reach our destiny by casting and protecting every vote on July 2, so that on July 6th [Malawi Independence Day], we can mark the start of our 3rd Independence by inaugurating the Chakwera-Chilima presidency.”

Chakwera is the main challenger of President Peter Mutharika of governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who is expected to present his nomination papers on Thursday.

Mutharika is expected to pick his running mate – perhaps not on the streets as it happened in the nullified elections when he picked Everton Chimulirneji from Ginnery Corner.

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