Featured » Health » National

I have ‘eradicated’ Aids in Malawi, DPP popular – Bingu

By Green Muheya, Nyasa Times

August 25, 2011   ·   85 Comments

Email This Post

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika on Thursday claimed he has done great things in the country during his seven years in power including “eradicating HIV/Aids”, saying his government and ruling DPP is getting more popular.

Mutharika said in a speech in Blantyre, the commercial capital, that civil society leaders were derailing his development programmes by organising nationwide protests against his administrations.

“I have taken this country from the poor position it was to the stellar position it now occupies,” he said.

“I have eradicated hunger in this country. I have eradicated the AIDS pandemic.  I have built roads, hospitals and school,” Mutharika touted himself to the cheering DPP supporters.

But health experts say Malawi cannot hope to achieve its new HIV/AIDS targets without significant international support, due to poor relationship between the government of Malawi and its key international donors, including the U.S. and the U.K., which recently suspended some of their funding because of Mutharika’s dictatorship.

Malawi faces many challenges in the HIV/Aids fight, particularly related to how the country will finance the new anti-retroviral treatment (ART) drugs for life and what type of counselling and social support will be provided to the women who are being placed on ART.

Mutharika also quashed critics who say his government and ruling DPP are losing support, saying to the contrary the party and government are gaining ground and popularity.

“There are some people who, when drunk, say that DPP is no more, the government is no more so by coming in such large numbers you have demonstrated that what they are saying is nonsense,” said the foul-mouthed Mutharika.

“The Democratic Progressive Party is growing from strength to strength and the Government remains strong as ever,” he added.

Mutharika then warned of a crackdown against critics.

“Don’t mistake the Government’s silence for ineptitude. All those insolent people I can arrest them if I so wish,” he said.

“I want you to know that just because somebody outside [this country] says so I cannot arrest you. I can arrest you! Let this country go on fire if you want to,” Mutharika said.

In his style of attacking media houses, Mutharika this time around singled out The Nation newspaper.

“And I want you . . . Nation Publications, if the Nation Publications team is here, go and tell them that ‘Bingu is threatening you’ and I’m threatening them! Yes!” he charged.

In the July 20 anti-government demonstration, police used lethal force on account of Mutharika’s ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy, killing at least 18 people d in a country that bills itself the “Warm Heart of Africa”.

Analysts say Mutharika’s speech did not help matters as the mood on the street is equally unforgiving, suggesting further confrontation is almost inevitable in a country that prides itself on its peace-loving populace.

Observers say if Mutharika pursues the kind of violence and crackdowns on civil society and his critics, it will put international support at risk.

Tags: Bingu wa Mutharika, HIV/Aids

85 Responses to “I have ‘eradicated’ Aids in Malawi, DPP popular – Bingu”

Pages: [9] 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All

1. 85

   nachanza Says:

   August 29th, 2011 at 8:48 am

   
   

   Indeed the man has initiated some interesting policies,the food subsidy being both the cause of his success and his downfall. One doesn’t borrow money on interest just to expense it in subsistence farming… That’s'why we have food but no forex. Forex yobwelekayo, ndiimene, tikulipila macompany afertilizer To give away fertilizer to subsistence farmers… That is just bad math, not even economics. The country had notundertaken or reviewed economic and financial policies all through muluzi’s'time… Don’t be proud of cleaning a dirty house– it’s'supposed to be clean. When was the last time a woman was congratulated for cleaning and cooking… In the same vein, The president shouldn’t feel the need to be congratulated for doing his job Did your boss congratulate you for ‘not’ making a mistake this month? Mine didn’t but i ain’t complaining… Grow up Mr President, or go to rehab, ur position is a no win position, u will always be criticised… Try to see if some of this criticism Is justified. Forget the past… However brilliant u think it is. Look at the problems here and now And tell us what u are doing about it. It might not hurt to take a sel6 reflection course… Your personality and ego are your downfall Nobody likes meanspirited people, no one wants to help a person that doesn’t respect others… As long as you disrespect malawians, you Will never be assisted or appreciated. It would be a shame that ur previous work be undone By having a foul personality… I don’t know what ur advisors say… Rules of borrowing: borrow to invest in something that will give u a higher return than the interest Never borrow to expense Try applying fert subsidy to collectives Maybe go as far as measuring the farms and finding out which types of fert work best where (fert is not universal) Pay your installments on time– so people like export credit RSA can continue to undersign for malawian imports– did u know they have stopped… Fire your advisors and speech writer they are obviously doing u no favours, if infact they are i advise you to call for a referendum So you can see if opposition is lying about ur lack of popularity Lastly, may god bless u… Cos at the end of the day, you will have to face ur stupid ego before God. Like 1 Reply

2. 84

   texas Says:

   August 28th, 2011 at 7:13 pm

   
   

   surely he has eradicated Aids not AIDS. No donors in malawi. Shaa Like 2 Reply

3. 83

   Aston Cheyo Nyondo Says:

   August 28th, 2011 at 4:55 pm

   
   

   Bingu’s words on HIV is a testimony to small head Reason he goofs all the time. Families live with HIV sicness and death all the time. Here is their President claiming he has eredicated HIV in Malawi. What other great things has he done in seven years. Malawians who elected him do not see the “great things”. The electrote judges the President A President who begs the citizens to see the developments is agreeing failure. Not only that he is empty in the head. Otherwise he would embark two very important development projects – visible to the nation. Bingu has nothing to offer Malawi other than hunger, desease, poverty. In shorty natinal catastrophe Aston Cheyo Nyondo Like 0 Reply

4. 82

   timemark Says:

   August 28th, 2011 at 10:30 am

   
   

   Mr Bingu you have lost all sanity. Whether you have built roads or not that is not the issue here, sir. You have no right to muzzle the press, take our our freedoms like Demonstrations. By the way the Original Ngwazi did more development than you: there were no forex shortages and fuel kunali kutapa kutaya! But when he started restricting our freedoms, you know what happened to him in 19992! God should give you long life so that you can go to the Hague for the 20 July massacre!For Mam Callista, you will return all the tax payers money you are stealing in the name of Charity work!! Like 1 Reply

5. 81

   Gadaffi in Hiding Says:

   August 28th, 2011 at 1:35 am

   
   

   Is this man an alien from Mars? I blame his wife Calista, she is giving this old man too much sex.. Like 0 Reply

Pages: [9] 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All