INTRODUCTION
First of all, I would like to extend a special welcome to Your Excellencies and distinguished guests who have travelled from various countries to witness this momentous occasion. I thank you all for coming to Malawi and it is a great honour to have you here. Your presence is a source of inspiration to us and a demonstration of the confidence and trust that you have in our young democracy.
My fellow Malawians, I feel greatly humbled today to be inaugurated as the fifth President of Malawi. A country known for Peace and Calm, Law and Order. A country known for its hard working citizens. A country known for its political tolerance. A country that is safe from internal and external enemies.
Today, we begin another leg of 50 years. My fellow Malawians, the next 50 years of our journey presents us with an opportunity to reset our priorities, rethink our strategic focus, redefine Malawi, and make it progressive.
Today, we have people from the North, South, Centre and East to inaugurate a new era. During the 2014 Tripartite Elections, Malawians went to the polls to vote for change, and change they voted for a better Malawi. Today I stand before you to offer you, with your help a very distinct possibility of the future in our hands. Change has come to Malawi. Yes, our vote for change was not easy, you voted for change and victory belongs to us all.
UNITY OF PURPOSE
My fellow Malawians, this is not time to rest; this is not time for vengeance; this is time to build our great Republic into the force for good that we can be. This is time for Malawi to be strong again. Strong against marginalization, strong against poverty and disease, strong against fraud and greed, strong against weakness and fear.
Let us pick up the pieces. The journey has just begun. We must strive for unity of purpose, oneness of vision. We may belong to different political parties, but we belong to one nation. We voted for different parties, but we all voted for development.
It is now time to share our common development agenda. It is time to share what binds us as Malawians. It is time to show the World that we may differ in ideology, but we stand together as Malawians. That we shall develop this nation together. That we shall defend, if need be, this motherland together. We may share a divided past, but we share a common future. We may come from different origins, but we are heading towards the same destination. We share a common destiny.
My fellow Malawians, today we embark on a long journey of hope, patriotism, security, passion for country and pride to be Malawian once more. And we have come on a long journey.
OUR FUTURE, OUR DESTINY
Fellow Malawians, every fifty years has brought a new era in our history. One hundred and fifty years ago, in 1864, the first European missionaries began the idea of creation of Nyasaland. This is the moment that began to unite tribes of the land. One hundred years ago, in 1914, a great World War began and ignited the spirit of independence in the dreams of our forefathers. These forefathers faced a global super power with conviction and courage. My fellow Malawians, we face similar challenges today.
Fifty years ago, in 1964, Malawi was born when we became politically independent. Today, in 2014, we inaugurate the rebirth of our nation. We inaugurate the lost dreams of our forefathers and fallen heroes. We inaugurate the spirit of economic independence. We re-launch a new, better, stronger, proud nation once more.
The pursuit of our dreams knows no limits, no boundaries, no skies. Our only problem is the way we think. The only barrier to our national achievement is our Belief in others at our expense.
My fellow Malawians, We know that no nation was created poor by God. No nation has license to bury its naturally endowed treasure: No country can call itself poor.
Today, my fellow country men and women, we declare ourselves ready for the next fifty years. Today we get new faith and belief in ourselves. Today we begin the road to a coherent nation of achievers.
My fellow Malawians, the first years of the DPP in government restored faith in ourselves. We proved that it is possible for Malawi to be the second highest growing economy in the world. We proved that it is possible to grow abundant food and make prices more affordable. We may not have done some things well. But we have learnt our lessons, great lessons. We pledge to do better, to do more, and to live the lessons of the years.
Our first task is to create a proper economic, political and democratic system. Our task is to re-create an environment that gives our people hope and belief once more.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SERVICES
Security for our businesses and homes is key to sustainable national development. We intend to restore Peace and Calm, Law and Order. I intend to over- see a Malawi that has good road networks within the townships we live, a Malawi that does not victimize its professional civil servants simply because of change of Government. A Malawi which has clean cities, functional street lights, viable public transport, visible infrastructure, good housing for our Police and Army, strong security, jobs for our youth and college education for everyone who passes at Malawi School Certificate of Education.
We must be a country where critical dialogue prevails for our collective participation in the pursuit of socio-economic development. I am therefore looking forward to leading a listening government. It is only with a listening government that citizens participate because people feel valued whenever we listen to them.
My fellow Malawians, I intend to actively involve the youth in my Administration. We need the Youth to participate. The Youth are the energy that drives any country, any vision, any dream. It is on their shoulders that we must delve away from the shackles of non- performance of the last few years. It is to them that I call upon to meaningfully move into small and medium enterprises, to get an education, to do something for themselves every day, to look up with pride and energy and help me transform our cities into clean places, help me defend our borders, help me move Malawi to a major force for good in this part of Africa.
We need women to participate in our development agenda. They are the ones that build the fabric of society. Women have always been at the core of the economic fabric of the African society. No society, and no economic system can do without women. My Administration intends to work with all women in utilising all of its human resource to develop this country in the shortest period possible.
NATIONAL RECONCILITAION
We need collective participation in development. That is why I have extended a hand of RECONCILIATION to my colleagues who contested for this highest office. I offer them a new way of doing politics in Malawi: Respect, Consultation, Integrity and Honesty. I offer them a progressive way of doing politics which should not push us asunder, but rather bring us together. Together we can do more for each other. Together we can do more for our communities. Together we can do more for our country.
My fellow Malawians, TODAY, we must begin to put interests of Country First before our own. And you do not need to be in government in order to love, serve and develop your country. I want you to spend one minute greeting those next to you, promising them that from now on You will put the interest of Malawi First above personal interest.
My fellow Malawians, these contestants are great and patriotic sons and daughters of the land. We were all fighting for the same thing - passion for a new direction, a transformational Leader for genuine change, we all shared those sentiments during the debates, We still share that common purpose to heal our country.
You voted for me because you saw that what we need as a Country is not vengeance and pretence but a transformational leader who would take this country to greater heights. Greater heights, indeed I promise you.
You saw just as I did that what we need is a unity of purpose to transform our country to a middle income country; capable of producing and exporting once more. You saw that what we need is development. My fellow Malawians, today we begin that journey, TOGETHER!
My fellow Malawians I swore to defend and protect the Constitution of Malawi and uphold the rule of law. This I will do. But let me make one thing clear. The law must be left alone to do its work whenever crime is committed. We should never again arrest anyone and hunt for the crime later. We should never again punish those we don't like because they hold a political view different from ours. The age of using state instruments of justice to deal with our political opponents is gone. Let us not confuse the pursuit of justice with political vendettas.
RULE OF LAW
Fellow Malawians, in the last 12 months or so, there were a number of crimes committed against the State for example the infamous cashgate scandal. I wish to state that the cashgate investigations which Her Excellency Dr Joyce Banda started will be pursued and concluded justly.
Malawians are waiting to know who did what. Malawians need their plundered resources paid back. Malawians need justice delivered and no one should blackmail the state by saying this is witch-hunting.
The Police, the Anti-Corruption Bureau the Directorate of Public Prosecution and other security and law enforcement agencies are from this day free to operate independently but, professionally.
We will fully arm the Anti-Corruption Bureau with human and financial capacity to do its job without the interference of the executive.
In service to the nation, I will not tolerate one day more if a Cabinet Minister or civil servant takes what does not belong to them. Next time you see a cabinet minister arrested, do not be surprised. My cabinet shall live up to this principle of being accountable to the people.
I want this message to be very clear even before I appoint my cabinet. If what anyone wants is to become rich instead of serving Malawians, then do not come into my cabinet. When I appoint you, please just say 'No'! Today, I hereby draw a red line against corruption, theft of public funds, and I am prepared to draw this red line with my blood.
Today, we are launching a government that must be accountable to the people. The central principle of democracy is that everyone must be accountable to someone else. The rule of law follows to ensure that we are all accountable to the people and the law.
We cannot afford to waste time with plundering public resources. We have urgent work to do. As I have said, our country is on the edge of collapsing. This country is dying. Organs of government departments are in a state of paralysis. The veins of the economy in the private sector and businesses are paralysed. The cost of living is no longer affordable by many anymore. We cannot even afford to heal those in pain because there is no medicine in our hospitals. It is time to get this country functioning again. And we have no time to waste.
We shall protect the public purse because we need to provide adequate public services. These include quality health care to all Malawians, quality education, good infrastructure and investing in the creation of jobs. We need to invest in the creation of an efficient, motivated, results-oriented civil service which will be the catalyst for the creation of wealth. Our manifesto has promised to create new wealth, and we need a motivated and performing civil service to deliver our policies to the people.
MEDIA AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
Our administration will ensure that there is access to public information and in this regard we shall cooperate with all relevant stakeholders including the media in passing and implementation of the Access to Information Bill into law.
We will allow the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation operate in an open, free and fair manner, make independent editorial decisions and I don't want my Minister of Information to interfere in their work. This is a promise I make to Malawi.
The era of using the Public Broadcaster for Political mileage is gone. The era of intransigence through use of the public broadcaster is gone.
PUBLIC SERVICE
There is no more doing business as usual. For the first time, we shall now have a central and local government. This will be the government of the people. From this year, the politics of development has changed. With the arrival of the ward councillors, government has come to your doorstep. I welcome all ward councillors, irrespective of your political party into the fold of government. You are part of the government of the people. And to you the people, make sure we do your will, provided it is the right will. And I invite the media to ensure that we deliver our promises.
At central government, we shall keep our promise to maintain a lean, disciplined and efficient cabinet of 20 members. Other new measures include reorganising our ministries for more efficiency. The new measures we bring include elevating the Ministry of Labour to a key ministry in my government. For us, Ministry of Labour is the engine-room for creating jobs. We must create jobs for the youth and everyone capable.
We will implement stern cost-cutting measures. This will include the President working in the office more than on the road. Yes, I will come around to visit you on state functions. But do not ask me to travel around aimlessly and spend your state resources. I will empower all relevant officials in the public service to do their work as they are mandated.
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
But first, we will see to it that the economy begins to grow again. And we plan to take a "bottom-up" approach that involves and directly benefits ordinary people. And we plan to deliver a people centred economic growth at the rate of 7.5% in the next five years.
What you need is not your President being all over, but it is infrastructure development coming all over and wherever you are. Our plans are to build a new network of first class roads across Malawi. We need open up our rural centres to the main roads and cities of our country so that rural areas have tarmac road access to the rest of the country. We plan to build more rural growth centres so that we can take development to the people.
The DPP has already planned some of these projects. We started some of these projects before and we want to continue and do even more.
We will revive Malawi's colourful dreams of Nsanje port and building new cities.
FOOD SECURITY
We plan to ensure that every Malawian can afford adequate food, a descent house, and a dignified means of earning a living.
You did not vote for maize in vain. We want to make fertiliser subsidy available to all subsistence maize farmers. We shall continue to grow surplus food to bring down the cost of living. And we shall revive the Green Belt initiative to make Malawi the breadbasket of Africa.
EDUCATION
It is time to revive an education system that empowers the youth in technical and productive skills as well as train them on how best to run their businesses. That is why we will introduce Community Colleges to empower the youth of this country to start creating their own wealth. This robust entrepreneurship education will also create a new middle class which has been missing since we received independence 50 years ago.
Our education programme also includes rehabilitating and expand existing universities while building and opening five new universities in Mzimba, Nkhotakota, Mangochi and Nsanje. And the forgotten MUST in Thyolo needs to properly open with high calibre internationally recognised scholars as soon as we get settled.
SOCIAL WELFARE
My fellow Malawians, is a Malawi without grass thatched houses possible? Yes it is.
We promised to subsidise iron sheets and cement and we are going to do just that. This policy will make construction easy and revive the construction industry.
A vibrant construction industry resuscitates the economy. A vibrant construction industry creates jobs for everyone, and it creates business for all sectors. We want to make construction easy because every Malawian wants to afford to sleep in a descent place.
Our street vendors, our tomato growers and our civil servants should be able to build houses for our mothers and fathers across those rivers, hills and villages where we all come from. And one day, we will travel this country and see development with our eyes everywhere.
SECURITY
As we begin a new era today, we commit ourselves to provide Malawians with "Total Security" so that every individual, our children, our property and businesses are safe. We must live in a country where we all feel safe.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
This country lives in a global community and it is no longer possible to think as if we are an island. We need development partners from the West and the East equally, North and South alike. Let it be known that Malawi will strive to be a friend to everyone in the global community. Even as we protect and uphold our sovereignty, we need each other as humankind in a common global community.
Malawi will continue being a good and trusted partner on the international scene.
We remain committed to the ideals of SADC, COMESA, African Union, the UN and other International Organisations where Malawi is a member.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion allow me to say that we voted for the rebirth of our country and a new beginning. We voted because we believe in the best of Malawi. Today, we have gathered with our feet here because we are ready to walk the new beginning. In every house of our communities we have gathered before television sets because we want to see the new beginning. Across the country, in every village, at every trading centre, in every shop and every house, and at every veranda, we have glued our ears to our radios because we want to hear that we have begun a new beginning. Because this is a new beginning we must walk together.
This is the will of the people. May the will of the people prevail as we move forward as one nation, one country, one destiny! And may God grant us the courage to change the things we can, the serenity to discern the things we cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference.
We have this day consecrated our nation to walk the path of progress. Our future is for us all, and we need to work for it. No nation can live for us. No country can develop our country for us. So, let each one of us go and work hard knowing that we have a government that will see to it that we earn as we labour. No food for lazy man. Let us all go and roll up our sleeves and be productive with our lives.
My fellow Malawians, I want to thank our development partners our neighbours for being with us at all times.
And I thank Malawians for the spirited fight for our country to be where we are today.
May God bless our beloved country. May God bless you all.
Thank you!
On Monday, June 2, 2014 7:50:02 AM UTC+3, Charles Banda wrote:
..."SINDIKHALA NAWO KU INAUGURATION YA A MUTHARIKA" - JOYCE BANDA
Former President, Joyce Banda, has said that she will not be available at the inauguration of Peter Mutharika as State President because she is committed with other things
On Sunday, June 1, 2014 2:57:25 PM UTC+3, Charles Banda wrote:MCP PRESIDENT LAZARUS CHAKWERA HAS MADE THIS STATEMENT
Fellow Malawians; Today at 6.15am, I called the President-elect, Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, who has since been sworn in as the 5th President of the Republic of Malawi. I called to congratulate him and to wish him well.
As you all know we had been given a hearing at the High Court in Blantyre yesterday. Three issues were presented for determination by the Court:-
1. Whether the injunction that had been obtained by Hon. Friday Jumbe preventing MEC from conducting a recount was valid. The court ordered that the injunction was wrongly obtained and discharged the injunction.
2. The court was asked to rule whether MEC had the power to order a recount and the court decided that MEC had the power to do anything that it needs to do to arrive at a free and fair result and that includes a recount of ballots.
3. On whether MEC could postpone the announcement of results beyond the 8 days period the court ruled that the 8 day period ought to be reviewed because it can lead to injustice.The court lamented the predicament it found itself in but nonetheless said the period of 8 days could not be extended. We thus found ourselves in a situation where the court said a recount which MEC said had to be done to arrive at a credible result had to be done in one and half hours. In making the announcement the Chairman of MEC stated that "some of the Commissioners of MEC had expressed reservations at some of the results as received by MEC" but stated that the due process that had been followed did not allow them to satisfy themselves by way of a recount.
He stated that the rule of law compelled them to announce the results and as Commissioners they had to obey the law. We are aware that it was not just some of the Commissioners but the majority, seven out of ten that expressed reservations at the determination.
In fact the 7 Commissioners issued a communique to the effect that they could not make a determination without a recount of the ballots of the Presidential Vote. We find ourselves therefore in a position where on MEC's own admission the result of Presidential
vote is flawed but they are compelled to
announce it and on that basis the President of Malawi declared. This is a very sad situation where our democracy
and the will of the people of Malawi are held to ransom by virtue of some technical phrase of law that says the result must be given in 8 days regardless of glaring fraud and irregularities. We are aware that the result announced yesterday can be challenged and in fact it ought to be challenged but to what effect and for what benefit to the Malawian people. The institutions put in place to safeguard our democracy, MEC and the Judiciary, have confirmed their inadequacies. We have always believed that to every wrong there must be a remedy but our experiences since May 20 tell us otherwise. It is therefore with the heaviest of hearts that I wish to thank all the supporters of the MCP and all people of good will who supported our cause, in cash, counsel and prayers. It was and remains a good cause.In eight months we ran a formidable campaign that gave hope to many Malawians that a truly transformative development agenda was possible. We stuck to our values. And we have no regrets.
Are we disappointed?? Yes!!
Are we discouraged?? No!!
We believe we did not lose. The systems failed us and all this happened in full view of all Malawians and the world. And we believe that Malawians would still have loved to know what really happened. We now bow to the reality of the present situation and say let us move on. Let us keep peace. There
can only be one President at a time. It is my hope that when history comes to judge me, the Chakwera campaign and what happened in this election pertaining to the declaration of the
Presidential winner it will judge us kindly.We congratulate and wish the new President well.
We pray for him and our country and may God continue to bless Malawi and keep it a land of peace.
God bless you all.
Dr Lazarus Chakwera -
May 31st 2014
On Sunday, June 1, 2014 2:27:52 PM UTC+3, Charles Banda wrote:Her Excellency Dr Joyce Banda
STATEMENT BY HER EXCELENCY DR. JOYCE BANDA ON THE OUTCOME OF THE 2014 GENERAL ELECTIONSFellow Malawians;I would like to first of all, thank all Malawians that took part in the just ended, first ever tripartite elections.
Despite isolated incidences of disturbances, Malawians generally embraced peace throughout the election period and exercised impeccable patience as we awaited the conclusion of the elections.
I commend all Malawians for the patience exercised during this delicate time of transition.Last evening, on 30th May 2014, the Malawi Electoral Commission announced the Presidential results of the Tripartite Elections that were held from Tuesday, 20th May to Thursday, 22nd May 2014.
I take this opportunity to sincerely congratulate the President Elect Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and the Vice President Elect Mr. Saulos Klaus Chilima on their victory in an election that was closely contested.
I wish the President Elect and the Vice President Elect every success as they take up the mantle of leadership for the nation of Malawi.
It is my prayer that the new President and his Government will successfully guide our nation to greater heights of prosperity
I would like to thank all Malawians for the support rendered to me and my government during my term in office as President of this great Republic.It has been an honor and privilege to serve my country, Malawi, and more so as the country's first female president.
During my term, significant reforms that aimed at taking the nation to the right development trajectory were implemented, and I appreciate the support and encouragement that Malawians and all other well wishers gave me during these reforms
As I leave office today, I am happy that there are visible positive outcomes of these reforms in the macro economy, in governance and observance of human rights, in food security, in women's empowerment, in rural development and international relations to mention but a few.
I am happy that the country is at a better place than was the case when I assumed office in 2012.
I therefore wish to take this opportunity, to urge all Malawians to support the newly elected President Professor Mutharika and his Government as they take on this foundation of progress and endeavor to develop Malawi even further.In conclusion, while these elections have been tense, I would like to urge all Malawians to move forward as one nation, to remain united, to uphold the rule of law, and continue being peaceful and calm as we head into the next fifty years of Malawi's future.
May God continue to protect and bless our Nation, Mother Malawi.
I thank you for your attention
President Dr Joyce Banda
Republic of Malawi
On Saturday, May 31, 2014 12:35:37 AM UTC+3, Charles Banda wrote:Mbendera: Based on the results you've heard which have been signed by all commissioner, I justice Maxon Mbendera do declare candidate
Arthur Peter Mutharika & Saulos Chilima of DPP as president elect & Vice President elect of Democratic Republic of Malawi
National totals results for Presidential elections
DPP 1 904 399
MCP1 455 880
PP 1 056 230On Sat, May 31, 2014 at 12:02 AM, Charles Banda <chasbanda@gmail.com> wrote:
https://twitter.com/
MalawiNation/status/ 472476093703024641 DPP supporter celebrating court decision of no extension which means MEC will be forced to announce results
On Friday, May 30, 2014 11:12:51 PM UTC+3, Charles Banda wrote:The judge rules that "I can not hesitate to give positive direction for MEC to conduct physical audit."
"What the Court cannot do is go outside of its power and extend power when there is no rule/law to do so"
On Friday, May 30, 2014 11:10:09 PM UTC+3, Charles Banda wrote:BREAKING: Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda has ruled that MEC can do the recount of the votes. However, the recount has to be done in eight days.
The recount has to be done in 8 days which ends tonight. now judge dealing with issue of extension.
On Friday, May 30, 2014 10:01:50 PM UTC+3, Charles Banda wrote:We commissioners Nancy Tembo, Wellington Nakanga, Reverend Mezuwa Banda, Elvey Mtafu, Stanley Bilia, Rev Emmanuel Chinkwita Phiri, Gloria Chingota, Allan Chiphiko being commissioners duly appointed under s. 75 (1) of the Constitution as read with S. 4(1) of the Electoral Commission Act wish to state as follows:-
1. THAT at the meeting of the Commission held on 25th May 2014 it was decided that the results of the presidential elections held in May 2014 as rec
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