Masintha rally, food for thought for the DPP

Apart from Universal subisdy and a bit about food security, MCP/UDF presidential candidate John Tembo was at his best, smiling and working up the crowds with attacks on Bingu. Very unusual for JZU who rarely attacks a personality but prefers issues. But there was a justified reason, you could see it all on the faces of Bakili Muluzi and Tembo, they had made it.
I had travelled around Kasungu and Mchinji on Sunday morning to conduct a Nation opinion poll which will be published later in the week, I met hundreds of people until 1pm trying to get into public transport for the rally.
DPP during its manifesto launch has the luck of having own transport throughout the day, the opposition supporters went there on their own.
The crowd at Masintha would remind Malawians in Lilongwe the time Chakufwa Chihana had just come out of jail after the referendum in 1993, it was as Kamuzu would say "people, people, people."
At Masintha the ground was filled to its capacity, boozers found and excuse and raided all the pubs the whole day and empteied the fridges. At least the MCP/UDF alliance has brought back the excitment in the election.
Finally the majority of the crowd were voters, their faces spoke of their decision to back the alliance, the rulling DPP should not dismiss those determined thousands who will flow back home and support each other in the process to gavalnise their electoral base.
Masintha, whoever reports to the president and the DPP should definately be food for thought for the governing side, it will be painful to wake up as an opposition party on May 20.

Comments

Bennett Kankuzi said…
When the Kamuzu stadium was filled to capacity (90,000+) when DPP was launching its campaign, some pessimists rushed to say that DPP had ferried all those people to the stadium. Now its people at Masintha, and these people we are told walked from their homes! BUT the huge crowds that patronize DPP meetings are 'ferried'

I listened to Tembo and Muluzi speeches on Zodiak radio and in my opinion I would say that they did not say anything about what they would like to do for Malawi but rather to bring Bingu down.

Bingu is a survivor! He has survived impeachment, section 65 and the May 19 election will definitely vindicate him!

This is my personal opinion as one of the Malawian voters right here in Blantyre.
April 27, 2009 at 2:19 AM
steven kk said…
Though some people went to the rally on their own it doesnt mean that all the people were not provided with transport.Some people taravelling from Blantyre met lorries carrying people to Lilongwe and that provides onother clue.
Central region is MCP stronghold and i dont see something new there as they have been doing that even during Dr Banda's campaign against multiparty democracy.
A large crowd in the central region can't be a yardstick for winning this coming election.
Come rain or sunshine on the 19th,Dr Bingu Mutharika will be the winner.
April 27, 2009 at 7:27 AM
Anonymous said…
The voting pattern for the Central region is always obvious: JT. But he needs the UDF voters. The question is how have they welcomed the Alliance? This is the area that needs to be researched.
May 1, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Anonymous said…
we are waiting to hear the results of the opinion poll. or we understood the meaning of "later in the week"
May 4, 2009 at 2:42 AM
Anonymous said…
Kondwani, we are still waiting for your opinion poll!
May 11, 2009 at 8:14 AM
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