Dzuka Malawi: Throwing mud at Gertrude Mutharika
The DPP has very few trusted faces and one of them is Getrude Mutharika, a soft spoken and smart lady who has proven her political shrewdness by staying ahead of her critics. At every turn, someone has tried to throw mud at Mrs Mutharika, some ladies made it a point of ridiculing her dressing and some wanted her dragged into government business. But by now everyone can be sure the project throw mud at Getrude Mutharika seems to fail.
She is the wife of the President, yes, she is a politician yes- she won Balaka North seat and served between 2009 to 2014, you cant fault her for winning. But Gertrude Mutharika who married Professor Mutharika only days after he assumed office had to walk on a tight rope.
She came after Mama C. Tamanda Kadzamira, accused of horrific things under one party, but now admired for her grace and dignity of keeping quite through storm. Even those that insulted Mama, now rush for a selfie. She lived a step ahead of her critics.
Then came Annie Muluzi, another giant, whose voice was rarely heard, and most Malawians remember her a beautiful and graceful woman. Muluzi married Shanil Muluzi and for the first time, Malawians were accustomed to hearing the voice of the first lady every other week. Of course it was mainly for good causes through the Freedom Foundation Trust. Shanil Muluzi (now Shanil Dzimbiri MP), many liked her as a person, but most disliked her dominance on state media as it reminded them of Muluzi who from 2002 was hell bent to getting a third term.
Exit Shanil, then came late Ethel Mutharika, perhaps the first real mother of the Malawi nation. Her first event I clearly remember was a fundraising tea for the under privileged. Soft spoken, authoritative figure and she never demanded any lime light. For four years she was Malawi’s first lady, people loved her, spoke of her highly and church members at Lingadzi CCAP church spoke of her humbleness. When she died, Malawians genuinely mourned for her. Not only the President had lost a wife, the nation lost an adored mother.
Then we had Callitsa, a first lady who created more problems for Bingu wa Mutharika, ruined his achievements and picked battles with anyone who criticised her husband. Callitsa Mutharika was the nearest copy of Grace Mugabe and fate intervened.
From Bingu, we got a break and had a First Gentleman Justice Richard Banda Rtd. A silent man, many had no issues with and many remembered as a very upright and noble Chief Justice who brought discipline to Malawi judiciary. He was over shadowed by the performance and speeches of his wife.
We have had Getrude Mutharika for three years. The husband regime might not be the best, but to try to demonise and make her look like Grace Mugabe is a very shameful attempt by desperate people who treat Malawians as shallow minded and dull people. Malawians have chased not one but three Presidents, they didn’t like Kamuzu they sent him packing, thwarted Muluzi’s third term and rejected Joyce Banda at the poll, this is simply because they know what they want.
Unfortunately, a few educated and spoilt individuals always want to speak on behalf of Malawians and force their hatred on someone they don’t agree politically. Calling Getrude Mutharika a Jezebel by Allan Ntata is the worst form of desperation and a new low for someone who has attempted to court Malawians attention for three years and has failed to implement his vengeful agenda.
Ntata’s writings are full of hate, low on facts and very little substance. If one took him seriously from the start, Malawi should have collapsed in May 2014 and President Mutharika should have failed to survive a month. But that has not been the case.
Mrs Mutharika might have not started on a high note, but even her early critics agree, seeing her beautiful at a netball court, seeing her in a school uniform, planting a tree, dancing with women and her advocacy for cancer, environment and anything one would agree, this is a lovable Mutharika.
Now as to political ambition of Mrs Mutharika after her husband, unlike Zimbabwe, Malawi has a free political system and if she wants to run as an independent or win a DPP nomination, surely she reserves that right. What exactly is a problem with the First Lady? When you go through allegations, you find their mainly of people she chased from her home after she took charge. It is her home, not Government.
Dzuka Malawi, let us hate someone if they really are failing or insulting us. Mrs. Mutharika has maintained a dignified stature of the office of the First Lady. If we are failing in our political boxing, attacking her will only make you seem to be chauvinistic and out of touch. So far, the lovable face of DPP is the First Lady and attacking such a popular and liked figure makes one foolish, legally or literally!
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Rudo, you may have been paid to paint this picture but the truth remains Getrude is causing some trouble in DPP. She is using the bedroom to have her way. Some pipo have realised her bedroom power and are aligning with her to esnure the get appointed into positions. She is throwing some out of DPP through her bedroom. she is feraed by the party and not respected, so do not mistake the two. Cancer????? What has she done? Those of us who work directly with the patients have invited her twice for our functions and she never showed up.… Read more »
Generally, she is a smart lady. It’s just that she is married to nkhalamba. Otherwise sanafike size ya Grace. Koma mwina atha kuyamba kutumbwa coz mwampasa u ‘Professor’. Mavuto pa Africa!
It seems like some fashion these days that unless we pick on someone, we would not be seen to be doing writing, but I think this is unfortunate. I agree with you ‘Rudo’, we must never jump on people just for the sake of it. Ntata is a fine analyst and a good writer too, but this time his arguments went too far. Of course, I am not trying to tell people never to criticise, but we must react to some smoke at least, not to mere wind.
Not to be outdone by Allan Ntata’s jezebel issue, Rudo Tariro has pulled a master stroke of marketing acumen. The proverbial expression “a stitch in time saves nine” seems to have propelled the author to deal immediately with the Jezebel issue rather than later as issues raised surrounding a public figure may get embedded in the mind of the people thereby taking longer to erase them. Following the 2015 Charlie Hebdo incident in Paris, a respected journalist put it this way. When presenting a piece of writing, it is important to interrogate it along the lines: who does it afflict… Read more »
But surely this is not new. Where writing is considered a crime, it is natural to ask: “Cui bono?” – “Who benefits?” or “For whose benefit?”
Koma nanga u professor timangopasana choncho as if tikugawana ma pad kapena cotton wool ku hostel ku secondary school. Let’s be serious pena pake
True indeed Madam Getrude Mutharika deserves our respect as the first lady besides she is a woman of good morals so no need to start calling her names and all that Muchite manyazi a Z Allan Ntatason
True. Koma nkhani si imeneyo.