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| National |
| UDF doubts mediation |
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by
Phaless Chisenga, 15 July 2005
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08:57:29
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UDF says it doubts any mediation initiatives by the Public Affairs Committee (Pac) will bear fruit, alleging the body is just one of the civil society groups being used by President Bingu wa Mutharika.
The party’s spokesperson Sam Mpasu said Pac cannot unite Muluzi and Mutharika when the same body was in the forefront of painting bad image of the party.
“How do you get NGOs and religious organisations acting as government shields turn around to say they want to mediate talks between government and opposition, are these surely genuine efforts? And are these not the same people that encouraged Mutharika to leave UDF and later on advised him to form his own party?” questioned Mpasu.
He said UDF would only accept Pac if it behaved in an impartial way.
“Apart from that, the call of dialogue and reconciliation by government is not genuine. Mutharika never says what he means and never means what he says, he is actually deceptive and lacks sincerity. For instance instead of thanking people that put him in power he continually castigates them, so it is very difficult for us to trust him,” said Mpasu.
But government spokesperson Ken Lipenga said it was sad that Mpasu’s sentiments showed he had no regard for the peace initiative many Malawians were praying for.
Said Lipenga: “Because they think they made a mistake by choosing Bingu as their president, they want the whole nation to suffer, which is not quite fair. But as far as government is concerned, there is genuine need for reconciliation and the President is actually ready to listen and talk.”
Lipenga said Mpasu was a stumbling block in the reconciliation process in this country, alleging he takes pride in using the media to insult the President each and every day.
“If it was not for Mpasu, the President would find it easier to talk to UDF’s national chair, Bakili Muluzi. If there are people that are spoiling the reconciliation environment, Mpasu is one of them, pretending to speak on behalf of Muluzi. If he (Mpasu) keeps quiet, things will go well,” he added.
Pac’s chair Boniface Tamani said Mpasu’s remarks were not strange and could be said by any citizen.
But he said his organisation was not moved by Mpasu, claiming efforts to reconcile government and opposition, had the blessings of the entire nation.
“Deep down their hearts these people know that the only way out of the political wrangle is dialogue and actually they are responding to the talks. Outside they may say a lot of things but at heart they take the process seriously and when you meet them they are very ready to talk,” said Tamani.
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