EXCLUSIVE

MZUZU--Political leaders should travel with their wives or spouses to inspire confidence in the people that they are capable of keeping the electorate once voted for in offices, People’s Party leaders have said.

Vice Pres Khumbo Kachali and Secretary General Henry Chibwana made the remarks at Mtende Primary School in Traditional Authority Chindi in Mzimba where they launched a bye-elections campaign for the governing party.

“People are assured all the time that if they come to your home, they will be well looked after. They are assured that you are organized and capable of managing people if they see your family; the electorate are assured of stable leadership,” Kachali advised PP candidate Aram Beza.

Should Beza win in the October 9 bye-elections, Kachali advised his wife to welcome everyone into their home.

“Don’t say I am going somewhere when people come. That is their home. For you Beza, when these people from whom you are asking for employment vote for you [then] you will have to come and live in the constituency,” said Kachali.

Chibwana said leaders of the People's Party had shown that they were family-oriented which set a good example to the young generation.

“When we see such examples, everybody knows our leaders have a stable home. Everybody knows we are well taken care of by these Leaders,” said Chibwana.

Although there was no direct reference to anyone, some would see the remark as aimed at Peter Mutharika, leader of the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Harry Mkandawire, a senior PP member, is on record saying: “The DPP leader has never been seen with a woman. You just hear rumours."

He didn’t elaborate.

Mutharika isn’t married. His wife of 30 years died while he was living in the United State. He is said to have been romantically linked with several women in the country.

Mkandawire’s comment was made - and versions of the comment were repeated by PP members - after Mutharika said Pres Joyce Banda was ready to legalise homosexuality in conservative Malawi.

In this Mzimba bye-election, DPP is also contesting and at some point senior party leaders - and perhaps Mutharika - will campaign for their candidate.

Said Chibwana on Tuesday to PP leaders: “Leaders who travel alone have many questions hanging around them.”

---
(c) The Maravi Post 2012. Reproduction without acknowledgement prohibited

Add attachment