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.
Guys can’t you leave the President alone so that he can concentrate on his developmental programmes. How may times has he been telling the Nation and the world even you the originator of this story that he is not going to seek third term. Mr President don’t worry we know these stories are not from people who love their country. Remember Malawi, that there is one President at a time and this time we have our Ngwazi Dr Bingu Wa Muthalika. Whether one likes it or not He is here to drive Malawi to prosparity till 2014. A Bingu Woyeee!!! Malawi Woyeee!!! DPP Woyeee!!!!
Ask Muluzi/ the battle for any extension is not faught in parliament. it is the people that will speak. Whether Bingu has performed or not but when his times comes in 2014, he should just go home and rest otherwise the way we Malawians do he will just die of tension.
chimenecho nde chamba………musatitole amalawifw……7years nde kuti chani? usaviiiiiii kapena chani? olo mutatenga doom ndikutifaira amalawi tonse mkamwa sitingalore za third term or 7years…
I hope the president KNOWS that this intention to cling to power can kill the party as these other parties have gone and cause political and social unrest. Learn from History PRESIDENT Bingu and stop this dream.
I was wondering if the president is aware of the mess that is at tvm, please someone help me to remove Bright Malopa and Chimwemwe Banda they are making people’s lives at tvm miserable
Why living him alone this man takes malawians for granted, we are not stupid, dull like the way we were in the past 31 yrs of HKB. If he want to be like his friend Mugabe he we see how malawians we are.
Tird term or 7 yrs mudzingopita ku ndata kukasesa, we want new pple to rule dziko lino you have tried yuor best sir. Mukufuna 1 party system ndiye bola akanawina aTembo. Nyasi ngati tatopa nazo pano za pa TVM ndiye 7yrs atitopetse Chimwemwe banda ndi nzake Malopa.
Tikufuna zinthu zabwino pa TVM osati za inu bwana, timachita kuwonera ma TV akunja becoz yathu ndi nyasi zokha zokha.
3RD term imeneyo mukapangira amend ku ndata ngati ali anthu omwe akuzungulirani ndiye mufa thawi isanakwane bcoz of tension ya MW musatitole poti munawina ndi land slide Victory ndiye mutibwezere ma voti athu. Nonse nonseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Zione we are longer interested to hear about Ungapake again.That chapter for Ungapake is closed in Malawian history.Malawi is looking for new able people.Ufumu wa ungapake unatikwana kwabasi ku Malawi.Stop moaning…Bingu is the man now.
No third or 7yrs mukufuna 1 party system bwanji mumati simudzakaka mila nanga lero bwanji. if it is true ndiye mukhawula thats why Muluzi pick you in 2003 bcoz malamulo samamulora olo ndi pang’ono komwe. So your brother malamulo sapanga ndi iye ndi Mulli mbuli za chuma zanuzo.
Amuliwo adzingoyendetsa chuma cha bambo awo osati asokoneze dziko lino chifukwa sanakhetsere thukuta la chuma cha bambo awo ayi but abambo awo. You will step down like Thambo if you cling to this president position. Let new blood mu DPP adzalamulire not you and that time you will be 82yrs mukufuna mudzalamulire ngati mmene amafunira Aleke B kuti angwazi adzalamulire ali pa Bedi shame on you a BINGU.
Kamuzu tried it….we saw how he ended up!
Muluzi attempted it…we have seen how he has ended up.
History always repeats itself. Malawians are not as stupid as people might think.
God forbird this “Development Term” Team.
Atindye – Naye musayipise mbiri ya Bingu pofuna kukhala mnkhwapa mwa Bingu mdzina la 3rd Term. Ask Khwauli Msiska, the consequences of such evils acts. Malawians threw him into the political wilderness and hibernation. Leston Mulli & Teammates ask Khwauli Msiska.
no! no! NO! whether you perfom or not , 5years is enough! especially most of these MPs, would rather call them MP3’s.
they are useless, they become filthy rich and neglect constituents for personal businesses in towns! keeping them for 7 years is a joke!
I do not believe that this story is true. I am saying this because Bingu is not stupid and if am sure he has learnt from what happened to Muluzi. I believe Malawians have learnt also. We know that there are people out there who can perform and lead us out of this hell hole dug by Muluzi’s ten years. It is very unproffessional of Nyasa times to publish stories without digging some more. Where did these journalists go to school? Gossip is not news people. if it is true, then you should not have trouble findind meat to back up your story. People, ket us move forward by publishing stories which can help us Malawians improve our situations. There are alot of things which people need to be informed about. Dig some more then publish. thats my advice to Nyasa Times.