JB pledges transformation in PP manifesto
President Joyce Banda on Sunday unveiled the People’s Party (PP) manifesto, describing it as the beginning of a transformational agenda the party wants to implement.
Speaking in Lilongwe after she also officially confirmed parliamentary candidates, who included her son Roy Kachale as candidate for Zomba Malosa and Vice-President Khumbo Kachali for Mzimba South West constituencies, the President said PP’s election manifesto highlights policies and programmes which include a transformation agenda that places integrated rural development as a centrepiece of development agenda.
Said Banda: “Through this transformation, I see the establishment of the Malawi Agricultural Transformation Agency [Matra] to catalyse structural reforms and sustainable change in the agriculture sector. I see the establishment of an Agricultural Bank. I see our farming families being mobilised into farm clubs and cooperatives.
“I see our agriculture practices move from subsistence to commercial and mechanised farming. This is a transformational agenda that prioritises animal and fish farming through innovative programmes like Malawi Fish for All Initiative while reviewing and reorganising A Cow A Family Initiative.”
Banda, who is yet to name her running mate although some insiders are hinting that she will likely maintain Kachali, added that PP will decentralise tobacco marketing and licensing systems to ensure broad-based participation by our rural tobacco farmers.
The party’s manifesto states that PP will expand access to social services that meet minimum standards of quality of life regardless of location; that reduces inequality: spatial or gender; and that accelerates progress towards an inclusive community and national development.
“Yes, through this manifesto, the People’s Party has embraced a holistic approach to improving quality of and access to education. The People’s Party government is committed to improving education facilities and infrastructure, teachers’ development, provision of adequate teaching and learning materials, improving conditions of services for teachers, among others,” she said.
The President has pledged to transform University of Malawi (Unima) constituent colleges into fully fledged universities as one of the strategies to expand access and improve efficiency of operations; construct six teacher training colleges and convert Domasi College of Education into a fully fledged Domasi University of Education to address the supply of teachers; and strengthen the school inspectorate at primary and secondary levels to ensure that education standards and quality match the overall transformation agenda.
PP is also pledging transformative strategies in reforming our health sector, infrastructure development, and our economy in general.
Further, the PP manifesto is offering hope to the youth, women, people with disabilities and the elderly.
Minister of Health Catherine Gotani Hara made a presentation of the manifesto and Malawi Electoral Commission code of conduct which was presented to all aspiring members of Parliament (MPs).
PP secretary general Paul Maulidi acknowledged the primary elections caused divisions in the party. He asked those that excelled to embrace the losers into their campaign teams.
How can she pledge transformation when she is busy stealing from public resources. PP is a joke. Fortunately, Malawians are getting to know that cashgate PP are thieves.
We are tired with these old politicians to rule our beloved Malawi again. U have been in the vip but u cant show the world what u did to the nation only just enriching ur selves. Mwazindikira liti kuti u want to transform?
Where on the internet can we read the PP manifesto for ourselves?
Does PP have an official website?
I have commented before that those who underestimate JB do so at their own peril. With this manifesto, this Malawian, Joan of Arc, has thrown a gauntlet (challenge) to all her male counterparts. Now the balls are in their courts to counter compete, no pun intended. These are brand new ideas (not recycled ones) enough to send shivers to anyone half-dressed to contest for the top job in the land. I don’t imply that other parties cannot compete, I am sure they can and I want them to but that the bar has been raised. This hopefully will inspire other parties to come back with their own fresh new ideas (no past failed ideas, please). This is also good for the neutrals who want this election to be a contest of ideas/issues for national development not just boring personal attacks. If any Malawian was in doubt that JB version 2.0 would be void of any initiatives or that JB might play dead in this election then this speech puts to bed those fears. By Malawi standards, this manifesto is as good as any, frankly. This is also good for womanhood in Malawi and the world over, lest we forget that dimension.
It is not enough just to attack JB on cash-gate in this election because it is not about whether or not you fall down but how you pick yourself up when you do, that determines your success. Corruption is rife in Malawi so no one should pretend to be “holier than though” as both Goodall and Chikaonda have confirmed in the recent past. I do not buy the sells pitch from anyone who tells me that their govt will be free of corruption in Malawi. The honest approach must be for candidates to promise to combat corruption with determination by establishing a new anti-corruption law based on three principles a) punish soliciting of bribes b) punish offering of bribes and c) punish accepting of bribes. (…even punish thinking of or earning for bribes, lol). So far, the govt response of opening up to foreign independent auditors has been good. People must not take it for granted. Can you imagine independent auditors from Russia snooping into the US govt finances or indeed the Chinese auditing the UK finances? It never happens! So this was a huge decision that must be applauded, politics aside.
Having said that, are there any opportunities for improvement in the effort to transform the Malawi economy? Of course! Politicians do what they have to do to sell their policies to the electorate. Possibly that is why they all anchor their party policies on agriculture (PP 2.0, UDF2.0, DPP2.0, MCP 2.0, Afford 2.0, etc.) since 85% of the population relies on agriculture. However, in my honest professional opinion, agriculture, in any current form, will never develop Malawi!! Malawi needs to be shown the “secret key” to industrial transformation. Otherwise national extinction is a real possibility with the growing deforestation. Where will villagers get their firewood, building materials and even tools? Malawians must be attracted into urban areas with new industries to relieve the pressure on soil/land. I am 100% confident that this year that situation will start to change whatever the election result. Malawi will be on the road to i) creating 5-10 million new jobs, ii) graduate from the IMF jaws iii) stabilise the kwacha throughout the year while continuing with floatation, iv) improve the national pension scheme v) cut lending rates vi) cut inflation vii) embark on sustainable development towards a GDP of $20bn, $50n, $100bn from the current $4.2bn. Yes, skyscrapers eventually in every district, rail lines connecting Malawi from Chitipa to Nsanje/Salima to Mchinji, automobiles made in Malawi, eliminate mud houses, eliminate dusty streets, eliminate open drains, and supply farm inputs made in Malawi (not import mechanisation equipment ruins the kwacha). To any classically untrained eye, this sounds unattainable and an impossible pipe dream. This is not a trial and error process but one based on a systematic scientific process! I hope Malawi politicians will have the vision to embrace this proposal. Let us transform Malawi. We owe it to the current generation and to the future generation that every boy or girl born in Malawi reaches their full God given potential and to improve the living standards!
Guys, isn’t this the same guy who mans JB’s website in UK?
This is just rhetoric coming from a profligate party that has perfected the art of stealing from the public coffers. A party without realistic economic plans. A party of gimmics (like distributing cows, when the recepients do not have enough food to feed themselves). I could go on and on! These statements will not stop me from mobilizing voters in my constituency not to vote for PP. Mtengo waagwera awa baasi (they are defeated, to be sure).
Agriculture is one of the most important factor in improving the economy and lives of Malawians. Instead of giving a man a fish everyday, rather teach a man how to fish. President Joyce Banda’s transformation plans makes a lot of sense
BEWARE OF HANDCLAPPER JOE CHIRWA !
http://caledonianmercury.com/2014/02/06/trials-and-tribulations-in-malawi/0044727
That is a link to an article in a Scottish newspaper: TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS IN MALAWI. The article talks about some of the problems facing President Banda. Sycophant Joe Banda posted this:
As a Malawian, I know for a fact that president Joyce Banda is not involved in the cashgate scandal. I applaud her for decisively taking action against the massive corruption that left Malawi government coffers in shambles. In actual truth, Cashgate began long before president Joyce Banda took over as president. Many are very unhappy about her stance against corruption and are now out on a smear campaign, running to foreign media houses trying to implicate her- in order to cover up tracks for themselves. However, the truth is very close to coming out as more and more people get arrested. The law must take its cause and the government must continue with its efforts to strengthen financial management in the country.