UTM Party presidential candidate Dalitso Kabambe yesterday took his campaign trail for the September 16 General Election to Lilongwe Rural where voters expressed missed reactions to the party’s promises.
In separate interviews at the venues, some of the voters who attended the rallies believed the promises were practical while others said it was a case of same old story of unfulfilled promises.
The tour started at Nkwinda Trading Centre in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chiseka with a stopover at Pondamali Trading Centre in Senior Chief Kalumba and finished at Chiuzira.
Kabambe said if voted into power, a UTM administration will open 10 mines in his first term to create over one million jobs.
He also stressed his pledge of K500 billion budgetary allocations towards the agriculture sector and for industrialisation as well as K100 billion to each district council.
Kabambe, an economist and former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor, blamed the country’s high poverty levels, hunger and economic challenges on poor governance by past regimes, promising to reverse the situation when elected president.
Among his top priorities, he also
promised to maintain fertiliser price at less than K50 000 and invest more into agriculture.
Out of the six people that The Nation randomly interviewed on the sidelines of the whistle-stop rallies, two said given an opportunity, the UTM Party can deliver while four said they doubt Kabambe can follow through.
“I think we cannot judge the party based on the failures of others, at least we haven’t tried UTM before so this could be a good test otherwise, with sound leadership, this should not be difficult to accomplish,” said Gracian Malolo.
Another supporter Jane Maluwichi said: “Others were given an opportunity and we have seen them, if people want, let them try and we should see. Others may achieve this, but others may not be based on their capabilities.”
However, Alinafe Tsilikani said she felt politicians are the same and cannot change just because they have switched to another political party.
“The problem is that the same people were at one time behind those that have failed us. So, what could change now?” she wondered.
Zakeyo Alimbechifu, Patrick Ulembe and Joana Akimu shared similar views that politicians should not be completely trusted with their promises.
Said Ulembe: “They will promise us now and when it is time to account for what they promised, they will come with excuses, which we will be forced to believe again.”
Kabambe is among 17 presidential candidates expected to be on the ballot in the general election.
UTM Party was registered in July 2018 with former Vice-President Saulos Chilima as its founding president
