Aleke lashes at Mutharika

President of Peoples Progressive Movement (PPM) Hon. Aleke Banda who did not attend yesterday’s press briefing jointly organised by leading opposition parties in the country, held his own today in the capital Lilongwe laying into President Bingu wa Mutharika’s minority government for the political stand off in the country.

Banda said the resumption of parliament next week lies in the hands of government and not opposition as government is deliberately delaying the Speaker to deal with the matter on Section 65.

“It is unfair for the government and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to put the blame on opposition members since nobody is to be blame as it is govt which is not in a compromising mood,” said the PPM leader who described the suspension of parliament by Speaker Louis Chimango as “unfortunate”.

While clearing misconceptions arising from the parliamentary suspension, Banda reiterated that the opposition has not ganged up to shoot the budget down since previous budgets passed with the blessing of the opposition.

“The opposition cannot such a mistake to reject the budget as this is for the people of Malawi as a whole,” Banda said.

The Nkhata Bay parliamentarian described reports being aired by the national broadcasters as unfortunate and are increasing political tension which has already heightened.

Banda described the president’s speech as unfair for the Judiciary of the country adding that no meaningful dialogue would emerge with the opposition with the manner the president had spoken.

“It is not fair for the president to point fingers at the former head of state Dr Bakili Muluzi as the master-minder of Section 65 interpretation by the judiciary,” Banda criticised, adding that it was unreasonable and misleading for the president to insinuate that Muluzi had crossed the floor when he had formed the UDF after leaving an MCP in the early 1980s.

On Wednesday, UDF’s Leader in the House, Dr George Nga Mtafu and MCP parliamentary spokesperson Ishmael Chafukira called on the president to learn from the Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda on contact and dialogue with the opposition than rushing to MBC and TVM for castigations.

“When issues arise, instead of contacting us, he rushes to MBC and TVM to intimidate us. He should learn to contact us. We are ready for any dialogue,” said Mtafu.

“The only way to resolve the current political impasse in Parliament, which has put the passing of the K173 billion national budget at stake due to the premature adjournment, would be for Mutharika to seek dialogue,” Chafukira said.