Here are ten key points from former United Democratic Front (UDF) leader Atupele Muluzi’s interview with Times Television.
1. “I took a break from politics for a year. In this one-year recess, I have travelled extensively across nations to listen and learn from international political, business captains and global experts to learn how to lead more effectively……how to transition a country from almost a failed state to a thriving nation. I am back more experienced, more knowledgeable and more confident. We will change Malawi.”
2. “Malawi needs a competent and honest person to lead it through harnessing capabilities of brilliant minds both local and global towards specific immediate and long-term development targets. That person is me, Austin Atupele Muluzi.”
3. “I am currently just a member of UDF. However, I will be presenting myself before the UDF Convention, the party leadership will announce the date, to contest and if I succeed, I will be leading the party in 2025. I will not allow UDF to play second fiddle in 2025 but, because of 50+1, we will during second round consider alliances.”
4. “I am an example of a competent and honest leader. I am untainted with corruption. I can stand firm and challenge every Malawian to investigate the time I served in various government ministries. They won’t find any corruption because I served with honesty and integrity.”
5. “The number 1 pressing issue in Malawi now is the terrible state of our economy. We are a country with every potential to jumpstart our economy. However, we don’t have the leadership currently that can harness that potential.”
6. “Malawi can learn from how leaders in Gulf States harnessed the potential of their countries. They found oil and gas, made future projections of these resources and created a Sovereign Wealth Fund which they used to grow their economies. Malawi has a variety of natural resources. We need to start a conversation on how, as a nation, we can create Sovereign Wealth Fund from our natural resources.”
7. “Corruption remains the number 1 evil destroying the country. We are not on the right path in the fight against corruption. No week passes without a huge corruption scandal. We have lost local and international confidence. We are a nation that has visibly and evidently failed to deal with corruption.”
8. “We are not decisively dealing with corruption. All key institutions responsible for a for promotion, safeguarding and policing institutions—such as Parliament, Civil Society, Media, ACB, etc—that makes democracy tick have been strategically weakened. Too much lip service; we are travelling dangerously.”
9. “Demokalase yathu sikuyenda. Demokalase ikamayenda imadziwika ndi zipaso zake zomwe zili chitukuko. Anthu alibe ndalama, njala yosatha, ma biziness akusokonekera, umphawi paliponse. Zonsezi zitha kusintha ndi utsogoleri.”
