UNITED DEMOCRATIC FRONT NATIONAL SECRETARIAT P O BOX 5946, LIMBE, MALAWI PETITION TO RIGHT HONOURABLE ATUPELE MULUZI, PRESIDENT, UNITED DEMOCRATIC FRONT (UDF) PREAMBLE We the undersigned, wish to express our serious misgivings and deep discontent about the current so-called working relationship between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). a) BACKGROUND After the May 2014 tripartite elections, events have happened at a very fast pace such that some of us, members of the United Democratic Front (UDF) have found it hard to keep pace. We have been overtaken by events especially regarding the political trajectory that our party has taken under the leadership of the Right Honourable Atupele Muluzi. We first noted the cozying up of relationship between former President His Excellency Dr. Bakili Muluzi and current President, His Excellency Professor Peter Mutharika, and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The next thing we heard was that the Rt. Hon. Atupele Muluzi was appointed as the Minister of Energy, Mining and Environmental Affairs in Mutharika’s first cabinet in a secret ‘agreement’ whose details were not made public, not even disclosed to the members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). As a party, we gave our president the benefit of doubt. This was in the belief that in such political agreements, especially involving two big political parties, all parties strive for a common win-win accommodation. We thus assumed the United Democratic Front, as a party, would have something to take home under this DPP/UDF ‘win-win’ working agreement. We couldn’t be more wrong. As a party, we would have been more convinced or somehow satisfied that we are indeed in a working agreement with the ruling party, had some of our members been part of the group that President His Excellency Professor Peter Mutharika recently appointed into various parastatal boards, or indeed in other befitting government positions. So far, no UDF member has been appointed, not even into a single board. b) OBSERVATIONS It is now over five months since the informal agreement between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was entered into. So far, the UDF, as a party, has benefited nothing except the Rt. Hon. Atupele Muluzi and perhaps his father, His Excellency Dr. Bakili Muluzi and their immediate family members. Despite several invitations, the Rt. Hon. Atupele Muluzi, has not shown much interest to come back to us as members of the party to explain what is happening or indeed to shed some light on the details of the agreement between the two parties. Instead, he has been unusually quiet, simply discharging his ministerial duties as if he is just another rank and file member of the DPP. It is clear that the United Democratic Front has been and is still being used like a condom in this so-called political pact. The ruling DPP is using the UDF as a springboard to gain legitimacy more especially in the Eastern Region where the UDF is more popular, especially now when the ruling party’s popularity is rapidly ebbing in the face of worsening economic conditions. We are sure the UDF would be dumped when the DPP will be done with it. The DPP is not interested in the relationship with the UDF as a party. It is Atupele Muluzi and his father that are in an agreement with the ruling party for their own personal gain. This political agreement is therefore between DPP and the Muluzis for their own political and personal gain, and not for the UDF as a party. It is clear the Muluzis are benefiting from their association with the DPP taking from the frequent trips to Sanjika by the His Excellency Dr. Muluzi plus other trips where Atcheya has gone outside the country like Zambia to represent the country at its 50th Independence celebrations. We believe the DPP has an ulterior agenda of swallowing the UDF and eventually killing it. It appears the DPP’s 2019 strategy has already rolled out with the first step of dismasting the UDF firmly place and on course. Sadly, our president, the Rt. Hon. Atupele Muluzi seems to be a willing accomplice in this assassination of the UDF. c) OUR CALL We would like to call upon our president, the Rt. Hon. Atupele Muluzi to immediately resign from his ministerial post and publicly denounce this so-called DPP/UDF alliance. The Rt. Hon. Atupele Muluzi must return to the UDF to continue overseeing the party’s role of offering constructive criticism, checks and balances as an alternative government. At this time when the DPP is facing all economic and governance challenges, the UDF does not want to be part of the rot through a shambolic alliance whose benefits are only enjoyed by only two people. The UDF should also take an opportunity to make a statement over the current tough economic times. The president must de-link himself from the party in power and President Mutharika and show direction to the party. Currently, the UDF appears like it does not have leadership. The UDF should not be part of the DPP sinking ship. The party must immediately call for an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to examine the UDF/DPP alliance and to find a way forward, especially regarding our concerns over this pact. SIGNED Members of the National Executive, Regional, District, Constituency & Area Committees 12th December 2014
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 16:49:57 +0000