By: Robert Kumwenda
As many political parties have started re-positioning themselves in readiness for 2019 polls Umodzi party Saturday conducted regional elections for the south as one way of preparing for the 2019 tripartite elections.
Speaking in an interview with face of Malawi President for the party Professor John Chisi said the regional elections are a compliance to what the Chairperson Dr Jane Ansah for country electoral body Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) demanded that all political parties should hold elections.
“We are doing what Dr Jane Ansah wanted us to do and we also following the electoral calendar. Conducting elections is one way of consolidating our democracy and we are holding these regional elections so that we should invite real members for our party at the convention that will be held at an appropriate time next year,” he said.
The Umodzi Party leader however declared his interest to contest as the party leader at the party’s convention.
He said it will depend on what the party decides because it is democratic process adding that they are ready to put the country on good position for the betterment of generations to come.
“We are convinced that Malawians needs jobs, education and the challenges we are facing now will be a thing of the past if we make proper use of the human resource that we have. Another issue is the issue of injustice be are just being killed and there cases are not concluded as well as abuse of public resources we want to change that,” he said.
He said Umodzi Party is not the party of today but for the future saying that they want to create good fundamental principles for generations to come.
Chisi said they started with the central and eastern regions respectively, on 26 November they are going to conduct regional elections for the north in Karonga.
Concurring with Chisi, Secretary General for the party Peter Sekuwa said was happy that the party is holding its regional elections saying that this is one way of strengthening the party.
He said the party is going field a presidential candidate in 2019 tripartite elections as we as Members of Parliament and councilors in all wards.
“We are extremely ready to contest in 2019 polls and we ready to win the elections. We are building structures in all areas in the south and we are following procedures in 2018 we will go to a convention to elect leaders that will lead us to 2019 elections,” he said.
Sekuwa added that this time around the party is coming up very strong.
