Patricia Kaliati attacks government on fuel price hike
BY WATIPASO MZUNGU,
A CONRIBUTOR:
United Transformation Movement (UTM) secretary general, Patricia Kaliati, has condemned the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led administration for raising prices of petroleum products without addressing economic challenges Malawians are facing.
Kaliati said it is sad that President Peter Mutharika’s government is making life difficult for the majority poor by hiking prices of essential commodities.
She was speaking in Lilongwe Tuesday when the movement welcomed into its fold former regional and district chairpersons of Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
“It would have made sense if government was hiking fuel prices to raise money for financing the ailing health sector. The health sector, particularly maternity wings, have become an insult to women.
“But instead of raising fuel prices to resuscitate the health sector, government is raising the prices so that they can steal more. Otherwise, how do you explain where the whole President gets gifts from, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, someone involved in a fraudulent deal [with the Malawi Police]?” she said.
Kaliati also took on the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) for allegedly trying to frustrate the much-needed change through its use of malfunctioning equipment in the voter registration exercise.
She said it is high time Mec stopped sympathising with a certain section of the political divide at the expense of the majority.
“Nkhani ya chisankho siyachibale [Elections are not a platform for advancing or promoting family friendships/relationships]. Mec should demonstrate that it is neutral by giving people adequate time to register for the 2019 tripartite elections. We won’t accept anything less than that,” she said.
UTM national chairperson, Noel Masangwi, said Vice-President Saulos Chilima offers the only hope for a renewed nation.
Masangwi urged the defectors to advance the Chilima agenda beyond their areas, districts and regions.
Former MCP deputy secretary general, Chatonda Kaunda, said they have structures on the ground to fight for the Chilima cause.
At least 65 former MCP diehards announced their defection to UTM Tuesday.
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