Umodzi Party endorses Nankhumwa for Speaker of Parliament

Thomas Kaumba, President of the Umodzi Party, has thrown his weight behind Kondwani Nankhumwa’s bid for the Speaker of Parliament position.

Speaking at a press conference, Kaumba described Nankhumwa as a unifier with vast experience in parliamentary affairs, citing his tenure as Leader of the House, Leader of Opposition, and chair of several committees.

“We believe Dr. Nankhumwa’s calm and approachable nature, coupled with his PhD in Diplomacy and International Relations, makes him the ideal candidate for the position,” Kaumba said.

“We urge all parliamentarians to put aside their political affiliations and vote for Dr. Nankhumwa to ensure an effective parliament that serves the interests of Malawians.

“Kaumba also expressed concerns over the current state of the economy, citing electricity blackouts, fuel shortages, and the government’s decision to seek loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Malawians are tired of begging,” Kaumba said.

“We need to focus on local avenues of generating income and forex in line with Vision 2063. The Umodzi Party leader also condemned the recent attacks on people with albinism and demanded that the government take concrete steps to protect their rights.

“We want to see sustainable policies and initiatives that would protect the rights of persons with albinism,” Kaumba said.

In addition, Kaumba commended President Peter Mutharika’s appointment of Rozah Mbilizi as Agriculture Minister and urged her to revive the agricultural sector.

“We want to see farmers getting subsidized farm inputs in good time,” Kaumba said.

“We don’t want a repetition of stories where farmers plant seeds without knowing when to get fertilizers.”Kaumba’s endorsement of Nankhumwa is significant, given the current political landscape in Malawi.

The parliamentary sitting to elect the Speaker is set to begin this week, and Nankhumwa’s candidacy is expected to gain momentum with the Umodzi Party’s backing.