The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), United Transformation Movement (UTM) and Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) have been organizing demonstrations demanding the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Jane Ansah for allegedly mismanaging May 21 Tripartite Elections.
MCP and UTM have always distanced themselves from being part of the organisers of the demonstrations. HRDC have been in the forefront in the organization of the demonstrations.
“Mr. President, this year, Malawi had an Election. I have come in my second term of office. The process was duly audited by a United Nations affiliated network called BDO. This Election was unanimously declared free, fair and credible by the European Union, the African Union, SADC and the Commonwealth observer missions,” said Mutharika in his 21 minute address to the UNGA on Thursday.
“But the Opposition, led by Malawi Congress Party decided not to accept this very credible Election. This is the party that ruled Malawi under dictatorship for thirty-one years,” he added.
Mutharika further said: “This time, they went to court but ignored the court process and waged a vicious campaign of violence in the disguise of demonstrations. Their violence betrayed a desire for ethnic cleansing, a desire for civil war, an attempt to demolish the economy and to make Malawi an ungovernable state of lawlessness.”
Despite the provocation from the opposition, he said his government responded with peaceful resistance and insisted on the rule of law.
He said: “We fought violence with peace; and fought hate with love. This is what saved Malawi from degenerating into chaos.”
He told the UNGA that his government’s peaceful reaction to the demonstrations signaled the existence of true democracy and peace in Malawi.
“We have seen democracy and the rule of law at its best in Malawi. And Malawi remains a peaceful and stable country that we have always known.
Malawi remains a beautiful destiny for tourists and investors. Malawi is a beautiful place where we fight to make life better for everyone,” he said.
In his speech which was titled “For my country and the voiceless of the developing world” Mutharika repeated his last year’s call to the United Nations to include Africa in the UN Security Council arguing that there are no small or poor nations in the United Nations.
“In fact, this organization would be more powerful, more effective if we all participated in the decision-making on security. But for some reason, there are nations that refuse to share power with African nations,” he said.
He added: “In this regard, the United Nations is undemocratic. And yet, the same countries and the UN are preachers of the gospel of democracy in Africa. But Africans are sometimes more democratic than Western countries.
“Therefore, let me call upon the United Nations to implement the Security Council reforms. Africa must be on the UN Security Council. Let me repeat: Africa must be on the Security Council.”
Mutharika said Africa, with 1.3 billion people cannot be sidelined from the UN Security Council, arguing that it is a mockery for member states to meet and galvanize multilateral efforts while they marginalise and repress others.
“I, therefore, urge the UN and the P5 in particular, to open up the Security Council membership. Increase the number of Permanent Seats with Veto Powers and make the UN Security Council a true representation of all the UN Member States,” he said.
Mutharika, who also spoke as Chair for the Least Developed Countries, called on UN members to think of humanity and speak with one goal to eradicate poverty in the world, especially in the developing world.
He challenged the UN that it is possible to eradicate poverty because the world has enough resources. But he argued that it is only one per cent of the world controlling ninety-nine per cent of the resources.
“Poverty eradication remains an elusive objective in Sustainable Development Goals. Unfortunately, for some countries in this Assembly, poverty is a leverage for controlling other human beings of other places,” he said.
Mutharika cited some programmes his government is implementing aimed at achieving sustainable development. These include the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III which is the overarching national development framework that targets Sustainable Development Goals; Poverty Reduction Policies and Programmes and Social Support Programmes that target the ultra-poor and vulnerable in the country.
Others are free access to basic social services such as health and education; National Social Support Programme to guide the delivery of social protection services and the Social Cash Transfer.
“This intervention provides a predictable cash flow to cushion vulnerable households. We also have an additional top-up value for all school-going learners.
“This programme has taken hopeless people out of poverty, improved school enrolment and retention, and reduced extreme hunger.
“The programme has so far benefited a total of 1.2 million individuals from 280,000 households. These are mostly child and female-headed households,” he said.
This year’s UNGA was under the theme: “Galvanising multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion.”
Mutharika attended several high level meetings which included the Sustainable Development Goals where he spoke on behalf of the Least Developed Countries; Roundtable Discussion on HIV ad Aids progress in Africa hosted by former USA president George W. Bush.
He also attended a reception hosted by USA President Donald Trump and his wife Melania and a meeting with Thomas Barry, a business tycoon in New York who is President and Chief Executive Officer for Zephyr Management which manages private equity funds.
Source:Mana
