Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-president for the South Kondwani Nankhumwa has described the United Transformation Movement (UTM) as whirlwind that will not survive beyond December as it has nothing to offer to Malawians.
Addressing a rally at Mpemba Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) ground in Blantyre yesterday, Nankhumwa cautioned the audience against being carried away by empty promises by other political groupings, saying DPP is the only strong party in the country that will win next year’s tripartite elections with a landslide.
While emphasising that the rally was not for campaigning but to interact with party followers in the area, Nankhumwa hinted that the DPP-led government is the only party that has fulfilled its manifesto.
He said: “We have constructed a number of community technical colleges, we are carrying out a number of road construction projects and we have implemented the Malata and fertiliser subsidy programmes. We promised a lean Cabinet and throughout the four years, the President [Peter Mutharika] has maintained a 20-member Cabinet. We promise more development projects, including water development and uninterrupted power supply.”
Nankhumwa, who is also Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, cautioned DPP members against violence towards members of opposing political groupings as well as journalists.
But in an earlier interview with The Nation, UTM secretary general Patricia Kaliati wondered why the governing party scolds the UTM, saying members of the movement do not speak about Mutharika and DPP during their rallies.
In his remarks, DPP regional governor for the South Charles Mchacha told the gathering some members who flocked to UTM when it just started were returning to DPP as UTM lacks a tangible agenda.
Village head Rubeni of the area asked government to construct teacher’s houses and classrooms at Mpemba CDSS, and also to provide them with food as they are experiencing hunger.
