No religious in politics warns President

By Lucy Liponda

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has appealed to his people not to mix religious with politics.

The Ngwazi was speaking on Saturday in the former colonial capital of Zomba where he addressed a public rally.

In his speech at Malemia Full Primary School ground in Zomba-Malosa constituency, Ngwazi Dr Mutharika said that he was getting concerned that some political leaders were mixing religion with politics.

“I appeal to all Malawians not to mix religion with politics, especially you people from the Eastern region,” he said.

The Ngwazi was apparently referring to the people from the administrative districts of Zomba, Machinga, Mangochi and Balaka who are often times used and abused by the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) party and its leader Bakili Muluzi.

In his address to the huge crowd, the Ngwazi said that he was worried by behaviour of some failed opposition politicians who are dividing Malawians on religious lines.

“This tendency must stop if we are to develop our country,” he said.

President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika reminded the country’s citizenry that last year, some opposition political leaders were stopping people especially those from the Eastern region from receiving subsidized fertilizer coupons on the belief that they (the leaders) would provide free fertilizers instead of government.

“When the growing season came, these opposition leaders left the country for other countries and only returned when crops were fully grown passing the fertilizer application stage,” he said.

Although the Ngwazi did not specifically mention the names of these politicians, Malawi Digest understands that he was apparently referring to his predecessor Bakili Muluzi.

The Ngwazi said that these politicians must not be trusted at all because their aim is to divide Malawians based on religious grounds.

“If Malawi is to develop, do not listen to these failed politicians who behave this way because they don’t wish this country well,” said the Ngwazi.

In his failed bid for the unconstitutional third term of office, in the last two years, former president Bakili Muluzi has been appealing to people in his home area district of Machinga and the neighbouring districts of Mangochi, Balaka and Zomba that they should not receive the government funded subsidised fertilizer coupons saying he would give the people free fertilizers instead.

“I’ve already talked to governments but I will not disclose their names now and these governments who have already given us these free fertilizers and very soon these free fertilizers will land in the country courtesy of the UDF party and yours truly Atchair,” Muluzi used to tell the people at his political rallies.

Muluzi also used appeal to all Muslims in Malawi to support the UDF on religious grounds because he is also a Muslim.

However in recent years and months, Malawian Muslims have realised that the former Malawian leader just want to use them for his personal political gains and have since dumped him.

Previously, the districts of Zomba, Machinga, Mangochi and Balaka were seen as the opposition UDF stronghold but that is no longer case – Malawi Digest.