By Chisomo Phiri
President of the Patriotic Citizens Party (PCP), Jordan Sauti, has criticized major political parties in the country for what he describes as a disturbing trend of altering their manifestos during the campaign period.
In an interview with 247 Malawi News, Sauti expressed dismay at the decision by some parties to revise their campaign promises midway through the electoral process.
He questioned the relevance of the National Planning Commission (NPC)’s earlier efforts, saying the manifesto adjustments undermine the integrity of the political process.
“To be honest, this has never happened anywhere in the world,where political parties are allowed to change their manifestos during campaign season.What was the purpose of the NPC’s consultation process if parties can simply change their policies at will?,” questioned Sauti.
The PCP leader accused some parties of borrowing or copying PCP’s manifesto ideas, claiming that their original manifestos lacked substance.
“You have already stolen ideas we presented in our manifesto. Now you are trying to legalize your dishonesty,” he said, directing his criticism at the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Transformation Movement (UTM), and United Democratic Front (UDF).
Sauti whose nomination papers have been approved by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC ) to contest in the upcoming polls said his party remains committed to its original agenda and vision for this country.
“We know what we are doing. Malawians are not asleep,” he said.
When launching his political party at Nyambadwe Ground in Blantyre on July 5 this year,Sauti pledged to make education accessible to all Malawian students by abolishing school fees in primary and secondary schools and reducing tuition fees in all government tertiary institutions in the country once elected into power in the upcoming general elections.
He also pledged to introduce a Youth Investment Bank that would provide non-interest loans to the youth in the country.
