Chaponda hints at presidential run: Malawi foreign minister touts works of his hands

Malawi Foreign Affairs Minister George Chaponda sounded power hungry on Sunday when he hinted on the possibility of being favoured to lead the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2019 elections.

The development comes amid reports that President Peter Mutharika is grooming Chaponda, who comes from the Lomwe belt the DPP’s strong hold, to be his successor .

Speaking on  Zodiak radio’s  Tiuzeni Zoona programme on Sunday, Chaponda fell short of accepting that he wants the top job, only saying that if he was still at the UN he would be eying the position of Secretary General.

“I worked for the UN, there my dream was to be the Secretary General but I came back to help my country and now you want to throw me stones,” he said adding, “No. No. I will not accept it. I am here in my country and will never leave again.”

Further pressed to come clean if he really wants to be President, Chaponda was elusive only outlining his potential to the interviewer.

“Don’t put words in my mouth. But I have been in politics for too long. I have never been fired as Minister. I am a performer. The work of my hands must speak for me….so let people say whatever they want,” said Chaponda.

Put to him that by frequently sending him abroad to represent the President means that  Mutharika is grooming him, Chaponda said it was his job to travel as Foreign Affairs Minister.

“All the meetings require me as Foreign Affairs not Vice President. After all, I do a good job. The trip to India I brought 400 million dollars. They gave it to me after negotiations and then the newspapers rate me 20 percent. That’s an attack on me and they don’t know what they are doing. But after serving the United Nations, it is now time to serve my country and I will not run away. I will die here,” said a charged Chaponda.

In the interview he also dismissed that he personally and the DPP government are linked to the 577 billion kwacha scandal before cashgate which the interviewer said could be the reason that donors are not opening aid taps.

“That’s a lie. I am not involved and the DPP is not involved. You all know who stole your money. People have mentioned Joyce Banda,” he alleged.

The interview concentrated more on Chaponda’s ambition to be the next president of Malawi which he betrayed himself by showing signs that indeed there is a plot to seek Plot number1 tenancy.