Malawi leader forms task force for ‘third term’ bid
President Bingu wa Mutharika has sanctioned a group of his sympathizers to form a task force to drum up support and advance the idea to extend his rule beyond 2014, Nyasa Times has established.
Mutharika, 77, who renewed his mandate through a landslide victory on May 19, is barred by the constitution to seek a third consecutive term in 2014.
However, sources attending a task force meeting at the residence of Leston Mulli of Mulli Brothers Group of companies said the group a laying ground work to ensure Mutharika rules beyond 2014.
“We have been discussing a strategy which we are calling it ‘Development Term’ of President Mutharika,” informed the source, a highly ranking ruling DPP official.
Another source collaborated the story saying the main purpose is to drum up support for the upcoming Constitutional amendment bill to the tenure of President from five years to seven years.
“The option discussed to ensure Mutharika holds on to power beyond 2014 are that we amend the constitution to add a term of a President from the current five-year to seven years.
“This will be done together with an amendment of the term of members of parliament from five years to seven years so that the schedule of holding the presidential and parliamentary elections is moved forward together,” said the source.
The group has also discussed an option of debating a motion in parliament that the first five years President Mutharika served from 2004 to 2009 was a mandate of UDF which he was elected on its banner and that he is serving the first five years as President under the mandate of DPP.
“We will argue that this is technically Bingu’s first term, and DPP’s first term to rule,” said the source.
Mutharika’s task force which has most of people from the Lhomwe ethnic tribe of the President agreed to argue that the first five years of the President was disturbed with political fights with UDF and the opposition dominated parliament over issues of Section 65 anti defection law, impeachment and delays to pass on the budget.
Despite previous hints by Mutharika that he would not seek a straight third term, the revelations for task force to map strategies of extending his power are the strongest indication that the President is not ready to step down.
The President’s party has an absolute majority in parliament to amend laws.
I call upon Malawians of good will to start demonstrations against this silly idea. How do you give a third term to someone who stole the election?
That will not be difficult. After all the person in charge of laws is the president’s brother. What else can you expect. Alomwe woyee! mwagwa nayo. mumasewera ndi alomwe eti? Tilamulira mpaka kale kale. mumati mutani
Some parts of the constitution indeed are irrelevant to today’s society and congrats to the President on noticing such reform needs to take place. This is only a normal way of development. However, such needs to be done with caution because you are altering a major part of law. As for 3 terms? I disagree, 5 years is long enough for a person to be in Power. Once you’ve done your job sir, stand-down honorably and admire your works. Look what happened to Zimbabwe. Malawians, as much as love our President, we should not accept a very sensitive part of the constitution to be altered.
While the issue might be true, I say, Ngwazi Dr. Bingu Wa Muthaluka knows better to lose credibility and trust of Malawians by doing just that. He is a man, he will never do such a thing. Lets wait and see.
This is extremely untrue to say the least. Malawians are not stupid.Please don’t cook up stories. Bingu is a statesman, and cannot do such!
And Oh, sorry for misspeling the name; it should read Ngwazi Dr. Bingu Wa Muthalika and not “Muthaluka”. My apologies please
Musamunamizere Bingu. O Bingu ndi wopenya ndipo ali ndi nzeru. Kodi nkhani zimenezi zikubwera chifukwa cha Landslide victory yomweyi? Pepani mwabunya ndipo mwaonekera ng’mba. Koma ngati ndi Tembo wakutumani kuti asokoneze DPP, ayi ndithu wabisala pachipande msana waonekera.
In fact with current political situation in Africa, presidential term of office must be reduced to Four instead of extending to seven. Zimbabweans made the same mistake of letting the Pan Africansit and liberation hero into a tyranny,despot and dictator because they allowed him to overstay in power;what happened afterwards is the fall of the country. If president of Malawi is doing the wonderful work the best the party can do now is to starting hatching for the successor to be close to the leader so that he/she can inherit the ideolgy of the good developmental president as you say. But the changing of the tem limit will just make a good president bad.
African problems are rampant and no one continuos ruler can claim to tackle them.In the time of Kamuzu Banda there were a section of people who felt and lived confortably while the rest were in pains, the time of Bakili Muluzi another section of people enjoyed and became rich overnight on the expense of others who st starved, it is true also that with the power of the incumbent government a portion of Malawians are enjoying while others are not.It is not say these leaders are bad people but Africa and Malawi in particular has many problems that one leader cannot tackle. However it is important to keep the term limit to four just as Ghana is to make sure that development reaches all areas of the country. You will agree with me that during the leadership of the three leaders Kasungu,Machinga and today Thyolo Goriat area are the most developed.When is development goin to reach the other parts of Malawi if only one leader clings to power fro three consecutive terms? It is our appeal also to African Union Authority and the people of Africa to reduce the term limit to FOUR, above all there is a second term.
As we advocate and have been advocating before it is not for the good of the country for people to change rules to suit one man. Let us make rules that will suit the entire society.
mr president ten years is enough for you better go and let others to take over
I hope this is no True, otherwise shame on HIM
i don’t think that is possible and we won’t accept it,whoever came up with tht idea shd go to hell and seek help from the devil.
Malawians stop attacking the northerners because its not only them who voted for Bingu why nt alomwe when are yu gonna stop this hatred of northerners,if we keep on attacking each other we will never build Malawi am tellin’ yu.