By Kondwani Magombo, MANA
Vice President for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the South, Kondwani Nankhumwa has hailed the United Democratic Front president, Atupele Muluzi for accepting to partner with the ruling party.
Speaking on the sidelines of Machinga Agricultural Development Division (ADD) Field Day in Mangochi on Thursday, Nankhumwa said Muluzi’s acceptance of the alliance was the right thing to do given the two parties’ back grounds.
“I would like to thank the UDF president for selflessly accepting to go into the alliance. One known fact is that if there are popular parties in Malawi since democracy they are UDF and DPP,” said Nankhumwa, who is also Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development.
Nankhumwa welcomed all UDF followers into the alliance and urged DPP followers to welcome the new ‘yellow allies’ warmly and work together with them as one front.
However, Nankhumwa advised the UDF followers to hit the ground running, saying there’s a lot of work to do. “My appeal to our UDF friends is that don’t just come and stay idle; we need to work hard to achieve our goal together,” he said.
He also commended the UDF and DPP supporters in Mangochi for coming out in large numbers during the joint DPP-UDF peaceful demonstration for the restoration of justice on Wednesday describing it as ‘one of the best demonstrations’ and that it had shown how the eastern region had embraced the alliance.
Member of Parliament for Mangochi Central, Victoria Kingston described Nankhumwa’s advice to both the DPP and UDF supporters as timely and that the two parties would strive to co-exist towards one goal.
DPP Director of Women for the Eastern Region, Eluby Kandeu also hailed Nankhumwa for the encouragement adding that as a region, the two political allies were not shaken.
“We, in the eastern region, are ready for whatever outcome from the court,” said Kandeu. “But if it’s about fresh election, then we can’t wait – even if we were to vote tomorrow, we would eagerly go to the polls and vote for Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.”
Meanwhile, the eastern region is organizing more peaceful demonstrations in Balaka to protest against the February 3 Constitutional Court ruling on the May 2019 election case.
