Clergy faults Malawi leader Mutharika for commenting on prophecy

Secretary general of the Evangelical Association of Malawi Francis Mkandawire says President Peter Mutharika stepped his line when he dismissed Prophet TB Joshua’s prophecy that two leaders from southern Africa would die before the completion of their term.

“The President was insensitive, he stepped out of his line. Spiritual issues cannot be commented upon like that,” said Mkandawire.

“This is not the domain of his expertise, he should have asked help from religious people who could have helped him deal with the matter, not the way he handled it,” he added.

Mkandawire said the best thing the President could have done was to keep quiet.

Mutharika on Saturday went to town stalking Prophet TB Joshia, picking up his traditional opponents, the opposition and fighting the media on the other hand.

He said he would not resign as propagated by the opposition, he is not dying as prophesied by Prophet TB Joshua and Malawi media is garbage and that he stopped reading newspapers.

“ I want to assure and challenge him [Prophet T.B. Joshua of Nigeria]  that I am still around until 2019,” said Mutharika.

His comments have largely divided Malawians on social media and other places with the majority criticising him in the manner he has handled the issues.

Chairperson of National Media Institute for Southern Africa Thom Khanje said if the President stops reading local newspapers then there will be a disconnect with people, the people he governs.

“Not all people have access to the president. They take their issues to the president through newspapers so if he chooses not to read newspapers, he will not know what his people want,” Khanje said.

Khanje also said this means the President is becoming increasingly intolerant to dissenting views and criticisms and asked Malawians to rise up and demand that this must stop.

“People tell their President all problems they are facing such as food shortage, drug shortages in public hospitals, high cost of living through newspapers because not everyone can access the president,” he said.

He said those who are close to him, the cabinet and his advisors will only tell the president what he wants to hear and read because they do not want to hurt him fearing they might lose their jobs.