By
Frank Kauteka Tembo
Malawians have
been advised to refrain from voting for aspirants because of hand-outs but rather
vote for a candidate who would address their concerns in the forth coming
tripartite elections.
A call was made
on Friday in Euthini during the panel discussion organized by Phunzirani
Development Organization under a theme refrain from corruption, bribes, and
handouts but choose people who can give you a good leadership and development
as per your perception.
Executive
Director for Wanangwa Foundation who was one of the Panelist Apostle MacHerings
Kayala said people should choose leaders based on facts that would develop the
constituency rather than leaders who give handouts during the campaign but have
no leadership skills.
“People are
advised to be very careful when choosing who would represent them in Parliament
as well as ward level. Our concern is that people don’t have adequate
information as to what could propel them in order for them to choose a good
leader.
“As such we were
sharing views with them, getting concerns and we were tying to discus who
should be chosen and who should not and why should it be like that.
“So we are
sensitizing them so that they should be corrupt free people and they should
choose people basing on merit, integrity, wisdom, not necessarily induced by
material things.” He said.
Kayala said
hand-outs practice during the campaign avert intelligent and capable people not
winning the elections because they don’t have money and material while people
who are not capable but they have money they corrupt voters and win the
elections and what comes by the end of that is development in the community.
Furthermore,
Kayala said there is increase of unproductive MPs in the country because voters
are not given chance of choosing leaders as the party’s officials choose for
the people leaders that people don’t want.
Participants of
the debate hailed Phunzirani Development Organization for organizing such a
sensitizing forum that will help the constituency to choosing a right
candidate.
Hastings
Kumwenda who was one of the participants told Voice of Kanyawazi that the
community has benefited a lot and will prevent previous mistake during the
by-elections.
“This debate was
an eye opener because several issues have been discussed that are really
happening in our community for instance you may recall that in Mzimba Central
Constituency it’s not the party’s candidate who carried the day but the
independent.
“This explains a
lot, it means the party officials had a candidate that they lacked while people
in ground had their own choice,” he said.
