News
After repeatedly mocking and abusing Mr. Nyondo in public, the president sends his spokesman to deny that anyone has heard of him. Perhaps he should turn on his radio or open a newspaper.
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President’s Spokesman Tries to Justify Calling Independents “Hyena”
| Malawi Presidential Aspirants Accused of Breaching Code of Conduct | |
Blantyre, Malawi 12 May 2009 |
In Malawi, the political parties are going all-out in their campaigns to woo voters before the May 19 presidential and parliamentary elections. In fact, observers say the campaign has been marred by speeches full of hate and blame – posing a challenge to those hoping for elections free of violence. Full Story
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PRESS STATEMENT ON STATE INVESTIGATION ON JAMES NYONDO CAMPAIGN
As you may be aware, the Nation Newspaper of Today, 22 April 2009, has published a lead article where the government has said it is investigating me for diverting financial and material donations meant for church work towards my presidential campaign.
You will recall, that on Good Friday eve, the state arrested and deported my American Friend, Micah Harris. In the process they conducted an illegal search of his computers where they obtained information relating to my campaign and my finances.
You will recall that I mentioned at that time that the state’s main interest was to access any data that was linked to me so they can look into my campaign strategy, my finances, my donors and anything relating to my campaign.
At first they denied it in the media, but as we all know, now, the ruling party has been all over the country this past week, denouncing my character and saying specifically that I have run out of money. We all know who has been leading that onslaught.
It has not been my intention to discuss my finances. But as you are all aware, I am the only candidate who has been forthcoming in as far as disclosing my sponsorship is concerned. The ruling party has spent millions of kwachas on campaign materials and vehicles but they will never tell you where they got their money. The opposition parties have all remained quite on campaign financing. But somehow, James Nyondo, has to be the only one to disclose his sources.
Well, I am speaking to the nation today because my hand has been forced. The chain of events that has lead to this started early this year when a VERY senior cabinet Minister called me and asked for an appointment saying he had been sent by the ruling party to talk to me. We met at a restaurant in Lilongwe where he told me that he had been asked to request me to withdraw my candidature because according to their research they had found out that I was going to get a lot of votes from amongst the young generation and that would cause both of us to lose the elections and give a chance to someone else. They offered to create a position of a Prime minister for me in exchange for my withdrawal. I want this on record. I cannot disclose the name of the person due to my personal respect for him.
I turned down the offer because it is the very reason I am running – to stop the deals-for-positions syndrome instead of appointing people on merit. Besides, we all know that the President of the party does not keep his words. Ever. The same offer was repeated by a businessman who is a senior member of the ruling party and is also a very senior diplomat. I stuck to my guns.
Today we are being told that they are investigating me for using money meant for church work for political purposes. Let me put it on record that I AM NOT USING ANY CHURCH MONEY FOR POLITICAL CAMPAIGN. According to the Minister of Home Affairs, my crime is that I was washing cars in USA and came back with millions and that, according to him, he cannot allow that to happen. Working hard and earning money is crime – that is according to his statement in today’s Nation Newspaper.
Let me say that I was not washing cars, but if I were, I would proudly accept it. And should I run out of funds, I am prepared to go to start washing cars if that is what it will take for me to stay in the race.
But fortunately for me, following the public statements by the state, donations are now flowing in at a higher rate, both internationally, on the internet as well as through local sponsors. My phone is ringing off the hook with people asking how they can help.
But why is all this happening? Well, it is because my campaign has taken them by surprise. They have discovered that they have lost what they used to call their base in the Centre and the North and that the South is does not belong to anyone, anymore. Go to Ntchisi, Karonga, Kasungu, Mangochi, Nsanje, everyone is eager to see James Nyondo. People are calling me from everywhere, asking me to visit their district. People are ready to switch to a new generation of leadership.
It is because of this reason that the state is operating under extreme political influence to make sure that they stop my campaign. They will try to cripple me using any means necessary. They are now using the police to arrest my supporters everywhere under false charges just to scare them off. Over 30 people have been arrested in Zomba, alone, with two more arrested yesterday just because they attended my rally two weeks ago. They are accusing the duo of disturbing peace by way of reckless driving on my convoy on the day of the rally - they had to wait two weeks to arrest them.
Very soon they will discover that they cannot stop my campaign by those means. They then will try to arrest me on tramped up charges. I have already been reliably informed that they intend to arrest me by May 1, this year. I am ready for that.
But after all is said and done, here is one simple fact: My campaign started slowly, but we have now achieved the necessary momentum to see us through May 19. Come May 20, by the Grace of God, I will be the President of this Country. The word is out, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it.
Thank you.
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Bingu blasts Nyondo
Thom Chiumia
President Bingu wa Mutharika has demeaned the only independent presidential candidate James Nyondo describing him as “a man of less than average intelligence”
“As a Head of State, the President, singling me, it means I have something to offer. They are taking notice of me,” said calm speaking Nyondo. Full Story
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Nyondo slams Bingu over flashy hummers
BY HARRY MANGULENJE, a correspondent
14:59:32 - 09 April 2009
Independent presidential candidate James Nyondo has questioned President Bingu wa Mutharika’s logic to buy flashy Hollywood hummers when his government cannot afford to pay university students book allowances. Full Story
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Malawi Independent Candidate Promises Victory in May 19 Presidential Election
Voice of America Radio Interview with James Butty
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Government Spokesperson Approves Taking Food from Opposition Supporters
The Daily Times, March 11, 2009
“I do not mind if you remove names of UDF supporters from the listed beneficiaries so that they learn a bitter lesson.”
“You can even snatch the maize from notorious opposition supporters because if not, they won’t learn to respect government.”
Full Story (Please click the magnifying glass button at the upper right of the article.)
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“Malawi Can Do Better”
Malawi News, Feb 21-27, 2009
The 2009 presidential and parliamentary elections are full of surprises. Four women are in contention at the presidential level, either as president or running mates. An unprecedented number of independent candidates have been recorded at both presidential and parliamentary levels. Malawi News reporter Rex Chikoko met James Nyondo an independent presidential aspirant to discuss his vision. Full Story (Please click the magnifying glass button at the upper right of the article.)
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We Must Respect our Leaders
I was troubled to read the unattributed Nyasa Times story titled “Nyondo Upbeat to Unseat Mutharika” which, among other things, ridiculed the current leadership’s performance in past elections.
I did not conduct an interview with anyone who would have plausibly written the article and, if I had conducted such an interview, it would have reflected my conviction that we must respect our leaders even when we disagree with them.
I respect the elected officials in our past and present governments, many of whom have made genuine efforts to benefit this country. I respect Bingu wa Mutharika as my elder and as the person who was constitutionally elected to be President of the Republic of Malawi. He is our President until May 19 and then Malawians deserve the opportunity to choose our next leader on the merit of his ideas. I believe that we can disagree about how to lead this country while respecting our President and our elders.
I appreciate our leaders’ contributions but Malawi now needs new leadership that will not engage in the tit-for-tat politics that have dragged us down for the past 45 years. I am not convinced that this will be possible under the current political dispensation, if anything I fear for the worst. I believe Malawi politics can only change when the players change. Now is the time and I stand ready to lead Malawi.
I am currently away in the U.S. but, on my return, in a few days’ time, we will release our manifesto so people can place their vote on the merit of our ideas. It will, no doubt, be part of a lively discussion, but it can still be a respectful discussion because, as Malawians, we should honor what is good in those with whom we disagree.
James Nyondo
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Nyondo wins dummy polls
Independent presidential hopeful, James Nyondo leads in approval ratings among Malawians according to dummy poll results. Full Story
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382 independents registered
by CAROLINE SOMANJE (2/13/2009)
Over 33 percent of registered 1,141 parliamentary candidates are independents with the Northern Region topping the list having registered 79 independents, representing 37 percent of total number of candidates in the region.
An analyst has meanwhile predicted that there will be more independents passing the winning post on May 19 than the previous years. Full Story
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Fire deputy ministers says Nyondo
BY Rex Chikoko
09:32:08 - 10 February 2009
Independent presidential candidate James Nyondo has asked President Bingu wa Mutharika to remove all deputy ministers in cabinet as they are merely a drain to the country’s resources with ‘very’ little contribution towards national development. Full Story
