The
Malawi Congress Party at its convention over the weekend elected for
Assemblies of God Church president, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to lead the
party taking over from veteran politician John Zenus Ungapake Tembo.
Here is Dr. Chakwera’s speech in full:
Preamble
It
is with great pleasure, joy, and humility that I stand before you at
the auspicious occasion of the Malawi Congress Party Convention. It is a
great joy because of party the might Malawi Congress Party has just
seen a smooth and peaceful transition of power from the old new
generation. It is with humility, because all Malawians have been waiting
for this day and it has indeed come. Ladies and Gentlemen, I would be
failing my duty if I don’t mention and recognise the achievements made
by Rt. Hon. JZU Tembo in making sure that this convention takes and
becomes a success. The way the
Party has conducted this convention is a true indication and sign of
maturity of intra-party democracy under the leadership of Rt. Hon. JZU.
Tembo. My appreciation also goes to for National Executive Committee
(NEC)
Distinguished
delegates, ladies, and gentlemen, let me also take time to thank the
organizing committee under the leadership of Hon. Lombola for working
tirelessly for the realization of this important and well organized
convention.
I
would like to thank the contestants for all the positions that were
open for competition in the party. I thank all the candidates for
sticking to democratic principles and values in this competition. All
candidates have been democratic in the way they conducted their
campaign, going through an electoral process and accepting the outcome
of the election. This must be commended. All
of us, we are a family of the mighty Malawi congress Party. For us to
be strong and succeed to get into government as this is our main goal,
we need the contribution of everybody whether in an elected or
non-elected position-Let us work together as a team. Together, we will
build the Malawi nation.
I
would like in a special way to thank all the delegates for making sure
that this convention is a success. I understand that some of the
delegates you had preferred candidates who have made it while some of
you, had your preferred candidates who have not made it BUT this Ladies
& Gentlemen should not divide us-We are all one family. In a
democracy, some win and some lose. What matters most is that the process
of this convention and election has been free and fair.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, this convention is historical because
it strengthens the Malawi Congress Party to make it a beacon of hope for
the nation. Since this is a political gathering, let me start by
explaining our shared vision for our might MCP.
Our shared vision for the Party
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen; the contribution of the MCP to the
politics and development of this country cannot be overemphasized. MCP,
as I have said in my previous meetings with delegates, is a party with
unique history in four dimensions. First, it is the party that fought
for the freedom of this country against colonialists. It is therefore a
party with liberation ideology and with that we are going to liberate
Malawi again from the agonies of poverty and underdevelopment; Second,
MCP is the party that laid foundations of our economic and social
development through huge investment in agriculture, education, health,
infrastructure, cultural and youth development. Third, MCP is one of the
few nationalist parties in Africa to have survived 20 years in
opposition without going into political extinction. Fourth, MCP is more
institutionalized than other parties in Malawi. It has viable structures
in every corner of this country.
Current status of the MCP
Ladies
and Gentlemen, MCP is the strongest Political Party in this country and
we give credit to the leadership under Rt. Hon. JZU Tembo for keep the
Party intact since getting out of power in 1994. Nevertheless,
ladies and gentlemen, over the past years, the party has gone through a
number of challenges but it has stood the test. We should all thank Rt.
Hon. JZU Tembo, and all the MCP leadership and members for keeping the
Party intact. I have a lot to learn from Rt. Hon. JZU. Tembo.
Ladies
and gentlemen, if it well not for their strong and courageous
leadership, this party would have disintegrated. The MCP leadership
under Rt. Hon. Tembo needs to be applauded.
Transform MCP from Opposition to Ruling Party
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and Gentlemen, our primary objective should be to
transform the Malawi Congress Party from a leading Party of Opposition
in Parliament to a Ruling Party by winning the Presidency and majority
of seats in Parliament. I have faith that this will happen and I share
the same with you. We appreciate the efforts by the current leadership
at all levels for sustain the party since getting out of power in 1994.
Having gone through four elections, lessons have been learnt and we need
to get informed advice from Rt. Hon. JZU Tembo on how we can improve. Malawians want change and that change will only come with the MCP’s victory in the 2014 elections. We
this nomination, we shall work hard to win the Presidency and get more
parliamentary seats in the forthcoming 2014 elections. This is the faith
we all can share. Change has come and we shall win the elections. Ladies
and gentlemen, the outcome of this convention entails that democracy
has triumphed. We have to join hands and work together for the party to
win in the forth coming elections. I cannot do it alone but we need
joint effort.
Engage with the membership and recruit new members
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, MCP is the strongest party in this
country. Nevertheless, there is need to do more in engaging party
membership at all levels and to reach out to voters. MCP is a party
which stands for Unity, Loyalty, Obedience and Discipline. We shall
endeavor to strengthen these principles into the political system for
the realization of sanity for national development. Ladies and
gentlemen, there are millions of people who love the MCP and these
people are waiting to see the MCP get back to government.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the MCP is the party that has
institutionalized membership. Your presence is an indication that our
party has strong structures across the country. Our members are the
vital backbone of our party – they take our message to the voters during
elections, our candidates come from their ranks and they are the
foundation on which the rest of the Party rests. If we fail to value
and respect them, they simply will not continue to be members and
without them the MCP cannot remain a strong force in Malawi’s political
system. The MCP leadership
shall respect the old members and tirelessly work together to attract
and recruit new membership for the party. The future of
Malawi’s politics further depends on how the MCP interacts with the
today’s youth. The MCP shall always project a good image to the youth
who are the majority of the population and voters.
Enhance inclusivity
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and Gentlemen, we shall jointly enhance inclusive
leadership and membership so that the Party’s tentacles spread and yield
electoral results in all regions and districts of this country at all
times. We need to unite for the common good. The MCP leadership we shall
truly embrace important leaders from other regions and pay attention to
the tribal pluralism that exists across all regions in the country. MCP
is a national party and that is why we have delegates from every
districts.
Distinguished,
delegates, ladies and Gentlemen; the MCP shall strengthen its party
structures to ensure intra-party democracy in making of party decisions.
We must, as a Party, be willing to act as facilitators by helping the
membership to find the best structures and models that work for them.
The most visible public face of the Party is organizational structure
and local leadership. The owners of the MCP are the people under the
leadership of our distinguished chairmen, Women’s league, and the Youth
league. If as leaders we fail to empower and encourage members, we are
failing to relate to so many voters. MCP shall encourage health debate
over issues within the confines of party structures.
Institutionalized Party Administrative system
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and Gentlemen, administrative system is the hub of
any political party. We thank the Former President, Rt. Hon. JZU Tembo,
for keeping structures of the party intact. Every MCP member should be
involved in work to mobilize resources for the strengthening of the
Party’s secretariat and administrative services at national, regional
and district offices. Democracy consolidation and development can never
be meaningfully realized if the Party system is weak, fragmentated, and
characterized by policy and ideological bankruptcy. I would like to
emphasize that MCP is an institutionalized and we have the ability to
attract the electorates if we can better articulate and present our
policies to them. We shall revitalize and refurbish the infrastructure
of the MCP in all regions and districts.
Distinguished,
ladies and gentlemen, the manner in which we manage government affairs
is a reflection of our management of party affairs. Ladies and
gentlemen, we should thank the leadership of Rt. Hon. Tembo for taking
care of the party resources which include the buildings the party has
across the country. It is with this faith that MCP leaders at national,
regional, district, constituency, area, and branch levels that all of us
should work together to honour our formers leaders who have worked so
hard to sustain the party.
Policy based politics
Delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen, now I turn to the issues of party conventions.
The idea that the policies of the government are affected by the
policies of the parties that comprise them is at the heart of the theory
of representative democracy such that if one does not relate to the
other, then it is unclear how elections can have much impact on what
governments do. The policy
priorities of governments in modern democracies reflect the formal
programs presented by competing parties during elections and that this
congruence between promise and performance is at the heart of democracy.
Electing politicians or parties that have no policy agenda is in a way
electing a government that has totally no agenda. We should not expect a
miracle of harvesting a mango fruit from an Orange tree. Government is
about Public Policy and Governments are run by Political Parties. MCP
shall endeavor to provide policy alternatives that are generated
through resolutions that originate from Party members at the grassroots.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, as MCP, we would like to emphasize the need for
democratic and institutionalized party system. This is good for national
politics and at the same time the development of this country. Our
development problem as a nation is rooted in the kind of politics we
practice and we need to change this. This is why we are calling for more
institutionalized and accountable political party.
Malawi’s developmental agenda
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, let me now turn my focus to the agenda
for national development. How do Malawians envisage their future? What
kind of society do they want to become? How can they construct a united
and inclusive Malawians identity? What are the transformations needed to
emerge from a deeply unsatisfactory social and economic situation?
These are the main questions that which the MCP would like to address.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, our nation is facing a number of
challenges such as food shortages and perpetual hunger, poor economic
outlook, tribalism and challenges to national unity, endemic corruption
and poor adherence to rule of law, and poor service delivery by
responsible duty bearers. These are the issues our party is geared to
deal with.
Distinguished
delegates, there is no doubt that good party politics leads to good
governance and perfect management of State and government affairs. It is
with this hope that we can reorganize and strengthen the MCP in order
for the Party to unleash its potential. Fellow Malawians, we should no
longer base our political success on strong personalities, regionalism,
tribalism, clientelism, and politics of patronage. These factors have
failed to give us development in the past. Political
success and survival ought not be accidental or depend on one’s ability
and craftiness in the control of the chains of rent-seeking,
clientelism and patronage.
Distinguished
delegates, Ladies and gentlemen, MCP has the ability to offer a new
vision for Malawi and we can jointly agree to cherish and build on
foundation laid down by the founding fathers and mothers of our nation
at independence. We have a chance to open a new chapter in Malawi’s
politics. Malawi’s problem is politics. We need to build and strengthen
institutions for development. Once we assure Malawian’s that we can do
good politics then we shall give them hope for progress in development.
Distinguished
delegates, the National Development Agenda requires collaboration
between all sections of society and effective leadership by government.
In a society with deep social and economic divisions, neither social nor
economic transformation is possible without a capable, viable and
functioning state. Malawi needs a state that provides institutions and
infrastructure that enable the economy and society to operate.
Currently, there is urgent need for critical interventions to build a
state capable of realizing national development; otherwise the whole
talk of development is fallacious.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, enough is enough and as a nation we
need to wake up from deep slumber. This country is the only one we have
got and we need to start practicing politics of development. Broadly,
the following issues are very fundamental;
· Malawi
needs to build a state that is capable of playing a developmental and
transformative role. This entails reconstruction of the nation and its
social capital anchored on good governance, underpinned by a capable
state.
· The public service needs to be immersed in the development agenda but insulated from undue political interference.
· Public
services at all levels must have the authority, experience and support
they need to do their jobs. It will require a comprehensive human
resources development, encompassing education, health, and ICT skills
aimed at public sector, private sector and civil society. This will
require a more long-term approach to skills development.
· Improving relations between national, and local government requires a proactive approach to resolving coordination problems.
· The
governance structures for state-owned enterprises (SOEs)/Parastals
should be simplified to ensure clear lines of accountability and stable
leadership.
· Transformation of agriculture into a productive, high value, market oriented sector, with forward linkages to other sectors.
· Development of an efficient private sector spearheaded by competitiveness and entrepreneurship.
· Infrastructural development, entailing improved transport links, energy and water supplies and ICT networks;
What are the challenges?
First,
the main challenge has been unevenness in capacity that leads to uneven
performance in government. This is caused by a complex set of factors,
including tensions in the political-administrative interface,
instability of the administrative leadership, skills deficits, the
erosion of accountability and authority, poor organizational design and
low staff morale.
Second, ladies and gentlemen, is that short term planning does not help. We need long term planning. Development
planning should not be determined by tenure of political office. That’s
where we go wrong. We need to look into the future of our grandchildren.
There have been many individual, state and presidential initiatives,
but there is a tendency to jump from one quick fix or policy fad to the
next. These frequent changes have created instability in organizational
structures and policy approaches that further strain limited capacity.
The search for a quick fix has diverted attention from more fundamental
priorities for state building and development. Lack of long term
developmental policy framework has led to the capture of the state by
various interest groups both internal and external. The MCP government
shall put mechanism that eliminates state capture by various groups.
Third,
a deficit in skills and professionalism affects all elements of the
public service. At senior levels, reporting and recruitment structures
have allowed for too much political interference in selecting and
managing senior staff. The result has been unnecessary turbulence in
senior posts, which has undermined the morale of public servants and
citizens’ confidence in the government. At junior levels, there has been
insufficient focus on providing stimulating career paths that ensure
production of skills and foster a sense of professional common purpose. The
state needs a clear vision for where the next generation of public
servants will come from and how specialist professional skills will be
reproduced. Weak managerial capacity and lack of leadership prevent
these issues being addressed. Since the advent of multiparty democracy,
there has been no investment in the future generation. The entire
education system is rundown. We need to invest in the future generation
for better tomorrow.
Fourth,
Malawi continues to struggle to achieve constructive relations between
local, and central government. A lack of clarity about the division of
responsibilities together with a reluctance to manage the system has
created tension and instability across these spheres of government.
There is no consensus on how this is going to be resolved and there is a
lack of leadership in finding appropriate solutions. These coordination
problems are not unique to Malawi. The issue is how they are dealt
with. Holding elections for local councilors in 2014 is not an end in
itself, there is need for political leadership that is willing to
devolve power from the Centre. The MCP has experience in running the
local government system and using the existing legal framework, the MCP
shall ensure its full implementation.
What are the Proposals for development?
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, to address the twin challenges of
poverty and inequality, the state needs to play a transformative and
developmental role. This requires well-run and effectively coordinated
state institutions with skilled public servants who are committed to the
public good and capable of delivering consistently high quality
services, while prioritizing the nation’s developmental objectives. This
will enable people from all sections of society to have confidence in
the government, which in turn will reinforce the state’s effectiveness.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, Malawi desperately needs a capable and
developmental state: capable in that it has the capacity to formulate
and implement policies that serve the national interest; developmental
in that those policies focus on overcoming the root causes of poverty
and inequality, and building the state’s capacity to fulfill this role.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the MCP’s National Development Agenda
shall highlight the need for a state institutions that are capable of
driving the country’s development. Building state capacity is the most
important step to achieve development, and these steps will be anchored
in the democratic tenets as enshrined in the MCP philosophy.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the MCP will bring about rapid and
sustainable transformation in a country’s economic and/or social
conditions through active, intensive and effective intervention in the
structural causes of economic or social underdevelopment. We shall not
simply produce regulations and legislation but constantly strive to
improve the quality of what we do by building our own capacity and
learning from experience.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the MCP shall recognize the importance
of building constructive relations with all sectors of society, while
insulating itself from capture by sectional interests. We shall promote
democratic principles so that the government has sufficient legitimacy
to bring about transformation. We believe that a robust democracy is not
just compatible with building a capable and developmental state; it is
an essential prerequisite for the sort of developmental agenda needed to
tackle poverty and inequality. The experience of other countries shows
that this cannot be done overnight. Measures will have to be
strengthened over time and the MCP has the capacity to do so.
BRIEF SECTORAL FRAMEWORKS
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, MCP’s development policies are rooted
in agricultural development. I don’t want to take much of your time by
detailing entire policy framework that the MCP envisages for the nation.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we shall discuss and communicate with
each other in the Party on the finer details of the MCP’s policy
framework for the country touching on economy, education, health,
foreign policy, entrepreneurship and job creation, research, science and
technology, and taxation policy. MCP policy framework shall be
forward-looking in all aspects taking into consideration that we are
living in a competitive globalised world. Suffice to say as a leader of
the Malawi Congress Party, it is important that direction is given as
regards overall sectoral policy framework, starting with agriculture and
the economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Malawi is a small, largely rural country, with up to three-quarters of the population living below $1.25 dollars a day. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) capita is $310, one of the lowest in the world. Poverty in Malawi is focused in rural areas where 85% of the population live.
Over 90% of the poor are small or medium scale farmers in rural areas, mainly reliant on rain-fed production, on small plots of land (less than a hectare) for their food, well-being and income. Women make up 70% of the agricultural labour force.
They are far more likely to be working in the informal (non-wage)
sectors which are often worst hit by disasters and other shocks. This is
also true for children in child headed households and elderly people.
Droughts, floods and variable rainfall result in reduced crop production
– the main sources of food and income for the poor in Malawi.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Why the MCP believes that agriculture will remain the mainstay of the economy for the foreseeable future?
Agriculture
accounts for about 37% of GDP, and tobacco alone account for more than
65% of export earnings. Agriculture employs 85% of the country’s
workforce. More than 70% of the agriculture labour is provided by women.
The MCP recognizes that poverty in Malawi is focused in rural areas
where 85% of the population live. As such, prioritizing agriculture is
only sure way for the Malawi to achieve inclusive growth, attain food
security and reduce poverty.
Therefore,
the MCP endeavors to implement the following medium to long-term
strategies to achieve increased agricultural productivity and food
security:
Agricultural Commercialization
Ladies
and Gentlemen, given the heavy reliance of the economy on agriculture,
there is need to have an aggressive strategy to promote agricultural
exports (both traditional and non-traditional) so as to broaden and
deepen the sources of foreign exchange which is critical to support the
current macro-economic policy framework. MCP believes that Malawi as a
nation we ought to emphasize on becoming a net exporter in the short to
medium-term as a sustainable and dignified way of restoring our
macro-economic stability because relying on donor inflows has its many
downsides.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and Gentlemen, the MCP recognizes that what Malawi
needs to do in the medium and long term is to put measures that enable
us to raise the export potential of our agricultural commodities as this
has been a long outstanding structural challenge that we need to
address.
Consequently, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen MCP believes that as
a nation, we should aim at creating a more productive, internationally
competitive and diversified agricultural sector. This demands an urgent
need to address our supply-side constraints in the sector with a swift,
radical and a coordinated action at different levels by different actors
in the Malawian agricultural value chain.
Farmer organization system
Farmers’mobilization
for collective production and marketing especially with focus on
establishment of farmer marketing cooperatives through clubs with an
agribusiness focus. MCP has a track record of engaging farmers into
clubs as economic units for agricultural production and access to
financing. Organizing farmers into functioning cooperatives with strong
governance structures will strengthen smallholder farmers’ voice to
negotiate for better prices, reduce transactions costs, and operate at
economies of scale.
Contract Farming
Ladies
and Gentlemen, MCP other priority will also be to move rapidly with
formation of well- regulated contract farming (CF) arrangement and
cooperatives that are shall be supported by strong legal framework to set clear ground rules and promote fairness.
Access to financing through credit system that is linked to structured marketing system.
Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we are also mindful of the bottleneck in access of financial services. The MCP will put more emphasis in providing agriculture inputs through farmers’ clubs to support the smallholder farmers.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies, and gentlemen, the MCP will also put a priority to
support and revamp estate to boost agricultural commercialization for
exports. Malawians should remember that Malawi in the MCP era was able
to produce enough, exported to Europe and other countries because we
were able to produce the volumes and quality through engagements of
estate sector. Estate farming has to be given adequate attention as this
is the only way to produce enough for the development of Malawi. Our
government will spell out a clear policy framework that would provide an
incentive for farmers and other agricultural value chain players to
invest in the sector and promote agro-processing and value-addition
rather than production of primary commodities.
Distinguished delegates, ladies, and gentlemen,
this is why we need to prioritize formation of land bank managed by
people that are experts in this business, the private sector. What we
MCP are proposing is not politics, it about finding a lasting solution
to transform and change the destiny of this nation, this bank shall be
run by experts and will be free from politics. This is a promise to this
nation.
Irrigation
Ladies
and Gentlemen, The MCP will prioritise irrigation (supported by
technology transfer systems and mechanisation) as well to ensure
increased agricultural productivity and to cushion the country from
climate change related shocks, especially droughts. Small-scale and
large scale irrigation technologies will be promoted mainly targeting
high valued crops. In addition to Government efforts, we will seek
support from our development partners to prioritise irrigation,
especially the infrastructure. Irrigation will help us lengthen period
of production in a single year and help us produce more than a single
crop to maximise our agricultural output.
functional marketing system: that is structured and aimed at building confidence of the value chain to all players in the chain.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies, and gentlemen these system were introduced and were
fully functional in the Malawi Congress Party era but have been eroded
over the period. MCP will make sure that these systems are back on track
under my leadership. Malawi Congress Party will focus on increasing
investments towards commercialization of agriculture to create a robust
foundation of our economy which still hinges on agriculture.
National Authentic Identification
Distinguished delegates, ladies, and gentlemen, the
MCP believes this country needed a National Authentic Identification
System to be in place as of yesterday. Contractors in the Contract
Farming and commercial banks need confidence that they will be able to
easily trace their borrowers of money or inputs. Also,
as country we need to easily identify our bona fide citizens for
accurate targeting when implementing national programmes This programme
might require a lot of money to roll-out. But it is an important
programme that we can no longer postpone because success of many other
plans hinge on this national ID system.
Health and Population
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, Malawi’s health sector faces a number
of challenges. The MCP shall work with partners for the improvement in
health related goals. Improving health requires a multifaceted or
integrated approach with a combination of preventive, educational and
clinical measures. By bringing these together, the costs of interventions can be minimized and their effectiveness maximized. The MCP shall seeks an integrated by focusing on the following:
· Increasing the retention of qualified health workers through a targeted program for health care workers;
· Improving working environment for health personnel;
· Increasing the availability and eliminating theft of drug supply;
· Improving
health facilities through targeted facilities infrastructure (roads,
water, health buildings, water, communication and medical equipment);
· Improving equipment at health care facilities, especially maternity services;
· Improving financial management, monitoring and supervision of health care facilities; and
· Providing
comprehensive health services package that include treatment of
diseases and infections, awareness programmes and education through
Government and private hospitals.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the MCP recognizes that there is a
strong linkage between issues of population and health as such efforts
from these two fronts complement each other. However, there are other
elements of population that cannot be conclusively addressed by efforts
in the health sector alone because of its broad nature. We shall
endeavor to provide accessible, affordable and comprehensive
reproductive health services through informed choices in order to enable
them to attain their reproductive health rights and goals
Education
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, there is no doubt that our education
system is run down and it requires immediate attention if we are to be
serious about investing into the future generation. If our country is to
achieve the twin MDG targets of universal primary education and gender
parity in school enrolments, a step change in strategy is required. We cannot continue with ‘business as usual’. Current
enrolment growth projections, patterns of repetition, plans for school
construction and increased teacher supply will enable improvements but
more immediate and more drastic action is urgently required.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, our public schools have to be upgraded
in order to become competitive and attractive to all people in our
society. Only this way will we be able to provide equal opportunity to
our children irrespective of their class in society. Current poor
standards in our public schools are dividing our society and only
patronised by the poor who cannot afford private schools. The lower
grades of our primary schools have one of the lowest numeracy and
literacy rates in the region.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we will also aggressively invest in
the vocational training to absorb and give necessary skills to our
youths after finishing their secondary education. I believe this is the
core that will drive this economy. First, we will need to rehabilitate,
refurbish and equip our existing technical colleges, TVET, with all
necessary learning materials. This is an important area that we will
need to partner with our development partners as it will require huge
investment to build the necessary infrastructure and other learning
materials.
Foreign Policy
Delegates,
ladies and gentlemen, International politics has both positive and
negative effects. It can determine the quality of the air we breathe,
the water we drink, the bread we eat, and the quality of imports we get
etc. Malawi's foreign policy shall be centered on maintaining cordial
relations with its neighbors and its Western trading partners. Malawi's
fundamental principles of foreign policy have been fairly consistent
since they were first espoused shortly after independence in 1994. Yet
the specific interests, priorities and emphasis of Malawi's foreign
policy have continued to change and evolve in the context of the
domestic and international environment.
The MCP’s foreign policy shall be anchored on the
promotion and protection of the national interest; the promotion of
African integration and support for African unity; the promotion of
international co-operation for the consolidation of universal peace and
mutual respect among all nations and elimination of discrimination in
all its manifestations; respect for international law and treaty
obligations as well as the seeking of settlement of international
disputes by negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and
adjudication; and; the promotion of a just world economic order.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies, and gentlemen, in pursuit of these objectives, the
MCP administration shall identify, as main priorities the maintenance of
unity, peace and security of the country, particularly in the wake of
current security challenges; job and wealth creation for Malawians; the
promotion of trade and investments; promoting the welfare of Malawians
both at home and abroad by protecting their interests. Our foreign
policy shall also aim at others are improving the profile and image of
Malawi abroad; enhancing Malawi's representation and visibility in
international organizations.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies, and gentlemen, Malawi's foreign policy will continue
to be dictated by the political and economic programme at home. I
should mention that we should graduate from pursuing foreign policy
whose agenda is to entice developing partners for continued flow of
donations. Ladies and gentlemen, that kind of policy objective is
subsistence and should not be abandoned.
Delegates,
ladies and gentlemen, I would like also to mention that our Defense
policy shall form part of the foreign policy. In the wake of current
international terrorism; and various peace keeping missions, it is
important that defense forms a greater part of our foreign policy and
the MCP will do just that.
The energy sector
Delegates,
ladies and gentlemen, the energy sector in Malawi involves much more
than just electricity and automotive fuels, though. MCP
is aware that our hydropower potential is under-exploited and as a
party we recognize that exploitation of this source needs to be
maximised. Most of our coal reserves are currently exploited only on an
informal basis. We need to explore possibilities in coal as well. Energy
is highlighted as one of the major constraint to growth in Malawi. For
the time being, we should seriously explore all possibilities that will
help solve our energy problems to unlock and spur economic growth. Going
it alone on large generation investments has limitation on accessing
public funding. Therefore, I will promote efforts to access private
financing.
Mining sector
Delegates,
ladies, and gentlemen, mining is one of the priority sectors that is
needed to achieve economic growth in Malawi. Mining has potential to
overtake agriculture’s contribution to the economy within the next ten
years Speculation of vast mineral resources including possibility of oil
reserves in Lake Malawi.
Delegates,
ladies, and gentlemen, optimism about the mining potential should be
tempered by concerns over the country’s ability to reap the full
benefits from these resources. To attract responsible, long-term
investors and deliver jobs and growth, Malawi must have strong,
transparent, and accountable institutions which can regulate the
extractive industry. The common Malawian should benefit from these
investments. We need to invest in strong legislations and mineral
policies that promote transparency and that no individual person (s)
benefit from these God given resources to the Malawi nation at the
expense of our people no matter what their positions are in society as
we have observed in recent past.
Delegates,
ladies, and gentlemen, minerals, just like any other resource endowment
in this country, do not only belong to the current generation, but also
to the future generations as well. Government is just a custodian
entrusted to manage these resources on behalf of the people of Malawi.
However, since we’ve not asked permission from the future generation to
exploit these resources on their behalf, we therefore have an obligation
to prudently use and maximise our current welfare without sacrificing
the future wellbeing of the generations to come.
Delegates,
ladies and gentlemen, transparency and accountability in the licensing,
exploration, contracting, extraction, revenue generation, and
allocation of resources from the extractive sector lies at the heart of
natural resource governance. The Malawi Congress Party will not allow to
be cursed by its resources.
Concluding remarks
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me explain that MCP is not
getting into the 2014 election race thinking it will be easy. We
understand the challenges ahead but neither do we rule out ourselves
from success. I
would like to also remind one another that this is just the beginning
of the journey and I encourage you that we need to work hard because as
Malawi Congress Party, we will form the next government in 2014. I am
assuring you that Malawi Congress Party will win this coming general
election, come rain, come sunshine.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I therefore encourage you to take part and also remind people in your
respective political districts to go and register for the forth coming
elections. We also need to go and identify councilors for the respective
wards where we come from so that we field candidates as a party in all
our wards and constituencies.
Distinguished
delegates, ladies, and gentlemen, join me in thanking Rt. Hon. Tembo
for his courageous and wise leadership which has seen our generation
being handed over the Party which is solid and vibrant. Once again, my
many thanks organizing committee and its leadership for making this
convention a success. With these remarks, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for your kind attention.
God Bless You, God Bless our Nation-Malawi.