Malawi President trashes Kudontoni, warns overzealous DPP zealots

Malawi President Peter Mutharika on Wednesday fired a warning shot at overzealous political figure heads in Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who stand tall talking issues which at the end of the day would bring tension and damage ‘good reputation of the ruling Party and the government.’

The President’s comment comes in the wake of remarks made by DPP Secretary General Ecklen Kudontoni T meeting in Mzuzu that all national statutory corporations’ CEOs must support the government without question.

Mutharika has asked government officials and DPP members to refrain from making comments that mischaracterise the views of the Head of State and the beliefs of the DPP with regard to how Malawi must move forward.

The presidency assured that the policy of the Mutharika administration to separate between functions of State and partisan politics has not changed.

Mutharika has since disassociated himself from remarks made by Kudontoni.

“Accordingly, Government wishes to disassociate itself from any statement, made or implied, allegedly on its behalf or on behalf of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that removes or relaxes what must be a clearly marked separation between State affairs and partisan functions of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP),” said Mutharika in a statement.

“Such statements do not represent the policy stand of His Excellency the President and his administration nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the DPP,” he added.

Mutharika has since called upon public workers to ignore any statement that aims at intimidating them or dissuading them performing their duties according to their expertise and professionalism.

Mutharika says only professionalism and ethics must be the creed for public workers, not partisan exigencies, political patronage or hegemony.

Kudontoni has since exercised spin on what he said in Mzuzu, saying he was “misunderstood.”

He made the remarks come at the DPP meeting amid the removal of district commissioners (DCs), council chief executive officers (CEOs) and other officials in senior government positions.

Chancellor College associate professor of political science Blessings Chinsinga said civil servants should not be victimised for not supporting DPP.