The United Democratic Front (UDF) has emphasized on the need to start a dialogue on how to manage the post-election period.
The remarks were made in parliament on Monday by UDF Member of Parliament (MP) for Mangochi South, Lilian Patel.
She said this in support of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika during the opening of the first meeting of the 48th Session of Parliament titled ‘Consolidating Our Gains for Rapid Transformation’.
We have dealt with legal problems but not political problems and its root causes,” Patel said.
She said what is happening in the country should not be treated casually by MPs because it is political in nature.
“We are political leaders and we have to make choices on how we want to be remembered as leaders by the future generations. We must stand together in making sure that there is peace in this country for without peace there will be no development,” she said.
Patel observed that MPs are a solution to some problems in the country as such there is need to start a path on how they can achieve unity in the country.
“I’m talking of unity that can be felt by Malawians and not unity that only appears in our political podium speeches and disappears in public,” Patel told the house.
She said over the years the country has systematically established a political system where state resources are consumed by a few privileged people while the rest continue to wallow in poverty.
“The protest we have witnessed in the last few days are not just about elections but symptomatic of other problems which we have so long put under the carpet such as lack of sustainable jobs,” she said.
Patel, therefore, said there is need to change peoples’ mindset and build the country’s prosperity on the pillars of patriotism, integrity and hard work.
President Professor Peter Mutharika delivered the SONA in parliament on June 20 during the opening of this meeting of parliament.
In his speech he warned those that are inciting violence in the county saying they will pay the price.
“As Members of Parliament we have sworn before God to defend this country and change the lives of people,” said Mutharika.
