President Joyce Banda unveiled her running mate in the May elections Sosten Gwengwe

Yesterday President Banda officially unveiled her running mate in the May elections, Sosten Gwengwe. Gwengwe has been serving as Member of Parliament for Dedza Central until Wednesday when he tendered in his resignation at the Malawi Parliament. He is the current Minister of Industry and Trade but, who is Sosten Gwengwe?

Sosten Gwengwe was born on May, 20, 1977 and is married to Enelles. He hails from Kaphuka in Dedza. Gwengwe holds an MBA and is a Chartered accountant.

He did his Primary School in Lilongwe, Secondary School at Umbwi in Dedza, where he was selected to pursue a Bachelor of Accountancy  Degree at the Polytechnic of The University of Malawi. He graduated in 1999.

Gwengwe obtained an MBA specializing in Finance from Oxford Brokers University, UK, in 2003. He is a Chartered and qualified Management  Accountant with  Chartered Institute of Management Accountant(CIMA).

Between 2005 and 2008, while in the UK, he taught at various Colleges in London.

He returned home in 2008 and founded the Alice Gwengwe Foundation, a Girls Private Secondary School in Linthipe, Dedza and also managed the Dzuka Girls Secondary School in Nathenje Lilongwe.

Gwengwe successfully campaigned for parliamentary seat in Dedza Central, and was voted as a member of parliament in the 2009 General Elections.

In 2009, he was appointed as Shadow Finance Minister for Malawi Congress Party. He was the Finances Spokesperson in parliament, and the International Relations Committee of Parliament and the  Commonwealth Parliament Association (CPA) of the party.

In April 2012 Gwengwe who had dumped the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and joined the DPP before dumping it to join the Peoples’ Party (PP) and was appointed as Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure.

In December 2012, he was appointed Minister of Trade, a position he serves to date.

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Gwengwe takes Motor Bike Taxis initiative to Mzuzu

Minister of Industry and Trade Sosten Gwengwe says People’s Party (PP) Government will continue to pursue direct intervention programmes aimed at empowering the masses to uplift their living standards.

Gwengwe who is also PP’s Presidential Running Mate for the coming May elections was speaking Wednesday at Chibavi Community Ground in Mzuzu during the launch of Motor Bike Taxis initiative.

He said the motor bikes have been given as a direct intervention programme to empower youths in the country.

Gwengwe reiterated that once voted into power, the PP government will transform Malawi from being a poor country to having middle class society.

“PP will create a middle class society as opposed to what is happening now as only few rich people continue to get rich.

“What we want is that people who cannot afford to buy a Hammer (car) should be able to buy a Toyota Corolla,” he said.

The Minister said what Malawi needs to get out of poverty is direct intervention programmes hence the launch of Motor Bikes Taxis to uplift the living standards of the masses.

Gwengwe also said once voted into power, PP government will open an Agriculture Development Bank with the aim of giving loans to farmers to enhance farming.

“What we want is to modernize farming so that even young people should venture into farming,” he said.

Executive Director of Youth Movement (YOMODE) Wyson Sumaili said the motor bikes have been given on loan payable in a period of two years.

“I want to make it clear that the motor bikes have not been given for free but on a revolving fund where beneficiaries would repay the money,” Sumaili said.

Sumaili explained that locally the motorbikes are sold at K1.5 million each but under this scheme, the bikes will be sold to the youth at K300,000 each payable through installments at K12, 500 per month.

According to Gwengwe, the initiative expects to give out 500,000 motorbikes to the youth within the next 10 years. Eventually, the motor bikes are expected to replace the current bicycle taxis.

During the launch, Gwengwe distributed 20 motor bikes to 20 beneficiaries that were identified by the Kabaza Association, a grouping of bicycle taxis operators in the city.

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God had a purpose for me to be Malawi President

President Joyce Banda has said her rise to power when former President Bingu Wa Mutharika died of a heart attack in 2012 came because God has a “purpose” . Addressing a gathering of people on Friday at Chatuwa Primary School ground in Lilongwe during a whistle stop tour, the President reminded the people that took over from a DPP government a collapsed economy riddled with chronic fuel shortages, limited foreign exchange reserves and no funds for basic public services.

Two years on, Banda said her People’s Party government she has made tremendous strides.

President Banda said she has a lot to offer to Malawians once voted into the presidency seat and start her own full five year mandate.

She cited the construction of houses for the poor, promotion of women and ensures that they ventured into different businesses and also construction of guardian shelters in almost all the rural hospitals as some of the things to give out to Malawians after May 20.

“God put me on this position for a purpose, my two years of leadership has proved that it is possible to change things in this country,” said Banda, adding: “Therefore, I would like to ask you my people to vote for me and expect this country to change for the better.”

Banda reminded Malawians of the challenges the country faced before she took over office and promised to do more for the good health of the people of this nation.

“Malawians must appreciate that when I was taking over the Presidency this country was at fire, there was shortage of forex, inadequate supply of fuel and ADMARC hardly had maize. But God made it possible that I bring comfort to the people, I can today boast that we have enough fuel to take us for the next 15 days, enough forex and surplus maize to feed the country,” she said.

Sosten Gwengwe, Peoples Party (PP) Presidential running mate concurred with the President Banda wooing Malawians to vote for the party and its leaders for the country to remain at its fast growing rate.

“What else can we say we are looking for, God gave the leadership which we should celebrate and embrace,” Gwengwe explained.

Malawians will be casting their votes on May 20 in a country where the stakes have become very high.

Incumbent President Joyce Banda is representing the Peoples Party, while Former President Bakili Muluzi’s son, Atupele, is leading the United Democratic Front.

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Gwengwe trashes opposition: ‘universal fertiliser subsidy impossible!’

Malawi’s ruling People’s Party (PP) vice presidential nominee Sosten Gwengwe said universal fertilizer subsidy being proposed by the opposition parties is impossible in Malawi as it could only benefit the vendors not the needy in the communities.

Gwengwe was speaking during a rally which was held at Bua Primary School in Mchinji on Wednesday where he critisized opposition leaders that are promising mere things as universal fertilizer subsidy is impossible in Malawi.

Gwengwe, who is also the Minister of trade, said universal subsidy is impractical as it will give chance to vendors who smuggle different items to other countries hence fertilizer will not be available in the country.

Speaking during the rally Gwengwe said opposition parties are promising unworkable things saying universal fertilizer subsidy is impossible as it can only help vendors not small holder farmers.

Gwengwe said since the fertilizer can only be subsidized in Malawi it will be easy for vendors to be smuggling the fertilizer to neighboring countries like Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania hence making it impossible for farmers to access the fertilizer.

He also said their party will continue using coupons and providing loans to farmers as it finds that is the only way that can make fertilizer to be available and accessible to smallholder farmers in the country.

The minister of trade also said according to research which Economics Intelligent Unit from Britain conducted in the country PP will win the coming elections.

According to Gwengwe the research indicates that PP will win the elections because of good leadership skills which the party has shown for the past two years.

Speaking during the rally Senior chief Zulu said chiefs support government as such they are supporting PP for the development that their government has brought in her area.

Zulu appreciated PP led government for Mudzi transformation project which is in progress in her area, expansion of Mchinji hospital and tapped water at kamwendo Trading Centre as some of the developments that have convinced her that PP government will deliver in the next five years.

The rally was attended by minister of local government Rachel Mazombwe Zulu, her deputy Godfrey kamanya, and the PP shadow Member of Parliament for the area Patricia Banda among others.

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JB to contest 2019 Malawi polls, Gwengwe says still in it

Former Malawi president Joyce Banda “will surely seek the mandate” of Malawians in the 2019 presidential election under the banner of People’s Party (PP), the party spokesman Ken Msonda has said. Msonda told private radio station Zodiak on Tuesday that Banda is currently reenergising at her home in Nkhata Bay where she relocated after vacating Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe but will seek nomination to run for presidency again.

During the run up to announcement of May 20 chaotic election results, Banda declared that she would no longer stand for re-election.

But Msonda explained that the stand was made as concession to have the May 20 chaotic ballot to be recounted to have a credible elections results, saying that did not occur, Banda will run for office in the 2019 polls.

“Joyce Banda will still be the PP candidate for President in 2019,” said Msonda.

Msonda said those thinking Banda will be wiped out of the political arena should stop “daydreaming”.

A political scientist at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, Dr. Boniface Dulani, noted that “losing an election may not necessarily mean she cannot do well if she decides to contest, it may depend on the performance of the current administration and presidential candidates that may come on the scene.”

Meanwhile, former minister of Industry and Trade, who was also PP running mate in the May 20 Tripartite Elections, Sosten Gwengwe, has clarified that quitting frontline politics does not necessarily meaning he was taking a bow from the whole political game.

“I am just resting to reflect but I have not withdrawn my membership from PP and not quit politics,” Gwengwe told Nyasa Times to clarify an earlier report.

Gwengwe, who lost his Dedza Central parliamentary seat to Malawi Congress Party’s (MCP) Daniel Chiwere, said he will not be in frontline politics because he is no longer a lawmaker where he could provide checks and balance.

“But in terms of being in politics, yes am in it and I am not a quitter,” he said.

The 37-year-old politician christened by many as “Ben 10” said he was only stepping back from front-line politics in the meantime but said “without doubt” he will be party to the rebuilding of PP.

He being picked as a running mate to Banda was a badge of honour and after “reflecting” he will come back a recharged politician.

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Sosten Gwengwe NEWS Chiefs up North Rally behind Gwengwe

 

  

Chiefs in the Northern Region have put their full weight behind State President Joyce Banda’s decision to pick youthful Sosten Gwengwe as her running mate ahead of the May 20 tripartite elections.

However, the move did not go down well with Vice President Khumbo Kachali himself a Northerner and his sympathizers’ in the ruling People’s Party (PP) who reportedly threatened to take unspecified action against the move.

There have been local media reports that the President has been snubbing Kachali on several occasions as her tour of the Northern Region continues where she is conducting official business.

One of the influential chiefs in the North, Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe who is popularly known as Themba la Mathemba endorsed the Trade Minister Gwengwe during a function held lately.

Said the Chief, “Not all days are Sundays. People are picked basing on calendar of situations. Your Excellency, we in the northern region we support your choice of Mr. Gwengwe. We will work with him and we have accepted him”.

The Vice President did not attend the function as he was reported to have been conducting other party meetings.

Again on the same, another prominent traditional leader in the North, Chief Mthwalo was also of the view that President Banda has made the right choice in appointing the 36 year old Gwengwe.

Meanwhile, inside sources in the PP who spoke on strict measures of anonymity have indicated that Kachali is still consulting on the next course of action against his snubbing and many believe that he might leave the orange camp.

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