Chiumia says Mutharika remains in charge of Malawi: ‘Democratically elected’

President Peter Mutharika remains in charge of the affairs of the nation as Head of State, says Deputy Government Chief Whip , Grace Chiumia in a clear swipe at People’s Party (PP) leader in parliament Uladi Mussa who made slurs that government is failing to identify the leader of the nation.

“Malawians democratically elected a President. The President is Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika. We do not have another president, he is the only President,” said Chiumia, who is also Minister of Youth and Sports.

She said Mutharika is “President for all” including the opposition, “so, you have to respect him.”

Mussa had asked: “Who is leading this government? We are failing to identify as to who, because Minister of Finance is doing one thing, the President is doing another. Who is leading this government?”

Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP )has always claimed Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) were elected on “fabricated results”.

Mutharika won with 36% of the vote, while former preacher and MCP’s president Lazarus Chakwera was in second place with 28%.

Recently, CSO released a 2014 Tripartite Election report entitled: “Election Situation Room: Analysis of the 2014 Tripartite Elections in Malawi” which describes the election as “Neither Fair nor Credible” and among other things calling for reforms in the country’s electoral processes and systems including enhancing the independence and technical capacity of the Malawi Election Commission (MEC) .

Malawi uses the first-past-the-post system where the candidate with the largest share of votes is declared winner of the presidential race.