Malawi turning into ‘cold’ heart of Africa, citizens preoccupied with jealousy —Mutharika

Malawians are becoming  very cold towards each other and preoccupied with jealousy, President Peter Mutharika has observed.

Mutharika has since pointed out that jealous is the major challenge the country is facing, which in the process was pulling back the country’s development.

The President said this when he attended a service of worship at the Evangelical Church of Malawi’s Nyasa Mission at Ntambanyama in Thyolo District on Sunday.

“I think there is too much jealousy in this country for whatever reason. One time we were supposed to be the warm heart of Africa, but I think that ‘heart’ has become very cold. We are very cold towards each other and we are prepared to destroy each other even in social networks and so on and so forth,” said President Mutharika.

The President said it is disheartening to see people publicising false rumours about each other, especially through the social media. Mutharika referred to his alleged death rumours last year after his extended stay in the United States of America (USA) where he attended the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York as one case in point.

In his sermon, Reverend Charles Mawaya of the Evangelical Church of Malawi also emphasised the need for the citizenry to get rid of jealousy and work in solidarity so that the country can keep on progressing.

“I am glad that in his sermon Synod Chairperson Reverend Mawaya has mentioned that we should take out jealousy so that together we should work and develop the nation,” said Mutharika.

Mutharika, therefore, advised people to love one another and work together as a family so that the country prospers.

He said government on its part will continue with programmes meant to uplift people’s social and economic standards citing social protection measures like the decent and affordable housing project.

“It is my intention that in the next fifteen years, Malawi should no longer have grass thatched houses. My government is also committed to improve rural road network. I am glad to see that the works of Thyolo – Thekerani road is progressing very well,” the Malawi leader said.

In her remarks, Thyolo Thava member of Parliament (MP) Mary Thom Navicha hailed Mutharika for implementing development projects anationwide.

Nyasa Mission was founded in 1893 by the Reverend Joseph Booth.

Formally known as Kabula by a British Missionary Joseph Booth, the Evangelical Church of Malawi was introduced in the country 1893.

The church relocated to Thyolo after the missionaries started cultivating tea and coffee before they stopped to focus on spreading the word of GOD alone.