Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika on Sunday finally launched his own political party, three months after resigning from the party that won him controversial elections last year.
”We want to end hunger… we want to develop this country,” Mutharika told 15 000 supporters who thronged a football ground in the shantytown of Ndirande, on the outskirts of the commercial capital Blantyre.
He said his new Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will institute wide-ranging economic reforms and ”empower Malawians to move them out of deepening poverty”, which affects 60% of the 11-million citizens of this poor southern African country.
”Malawians are tired of poverty … let’s work together to develop this country,” the president urged.
He said the government would soon launch a loan scheme for poor people to access funds to jump-start businesses.
Mutharika formed the DPP after relations between him and Bakili Muluzi, the country’s former president, reached an all-time low and left the former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) divided.
Handpicked by Muluzi to succeed him, Mutharika has accused the former leader of causing the rift because of his ”appetite for power”.
He said one of the reasons he quit the UDF was because he was being forced to dig into state coffers to bankroll the party.
”I refused, where would I get the money from?” the president asked. – Sapa-AFP