Don’t force Peter Mutharika to marry, says Malawi ex-First Lady Callista
Former First Lady Callista Mutharika has said Malawians should not force his late husband’s brother, Peter Mutharika, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 2014 presidential hopeful to marry.
There have been fevered reports that Mutharika has finally found love in a Malawian woman that he plans to wed.
“Once preparations are done, I am going to disclose the full information,” he told Zodiak Broadcasting Services recently, promising to unveil his sweetheart in public once the preparations are complete.
And speaking at Pastors Voices Fraternal conference at Assemblies of God Church in Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre recently, Callista took time to defend Peter Mutharika’s marital status, saying there is no need to force him to marry “just because he is a presidential aspirant.”
She said: “Marriage is something you just can’t force on somebody.”
At the conference, attended by about 400 clerics from the Southern Region, Callista said: “ Peter was married for 30 years and has children. If he is not married by now, it’s his choice we don’t need to force him.
“And he will not be the first unmarried man elected as a president. Botswana President, Ian Khama is unmarried, then why taking a swipe on Peter?” questioned Callista.
During the conference, Callista also defended her late husband and former President Bingu wa Mutharika for his staunch economic stand against devaluation.
Callista blamed the incumbent president Joyce Banda for failure to govern the country which she said has plunged many Malawians into untold misery, in apparent backing of Peter Mutharika’s presidential bid.
