MCP’s Chakwera for inclusive govt policies

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Dr Lazarus Chakwera has said there is need for change of government policies to benefit all Malawians, arguing that the current system favours only a few people in the ruling party.

Chakwera was addressing a sizable crowd at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre on his maiden visit to the commercial city since ascending to power as MCP president.

He said MCP is a changed party and has graduated from ‘college’ where the party was learning how to rule the country after observing the misrule that has been going on since MCP left government 20 years ago.

“MCP has learnt a lesson. The future will be different from where we are coming from,” he said.

Chakwera said MCP respects principles of democracy as evidenced by the way the party conducted its recent convention.

“We are ready to fight poverty. Currently, the country is moving five steps forward and six steps backward. The country is not progressing because government policies are not getting the political will,” he said.

He said if voted into power, MCP will encourage and support government policies that would benefit all Malawians regardless of region, tribe or religion.

“MCP is calling for total freedom for Malawians. MCP fought for political freedom and now we want to fight for total freedom where Malawians should be free from poverty in towns and rural areas. There is no dignity in begging because we always dance to the one who is giving you money,” he said.

Chakwera said Malawi needs to return to the lost glory when the country was industrialised and promoting commercial farming.

“Time is gone when people farmed for food only. We want people to farm as business,” he said.

Chakwera asked MCP members to avoid insulting followers of other parties, saying the party should advance nation building.

He said if MCP is voted back into government, the party will empower institutions such as the Malawi House Corporation (MHC) to build houses for all Malawians, not just for a few people.

Chakwera criticised the tendency of giving contracts to Malawians based on party lines.

“We will encourage equitable distribution of opportunities regardless of where one comes from or their political affiliation,” he said.