Ex-MP Nawena blasts Mutharika on UN yearly trips, says Malawi leader has no vision

Former Thyolo Thava MP and ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member  has described President Peter Mutharika as a leader with no vision who goes to the UN general assembly without an agenda.

Nawena, who lost the 2014 DPP parliamentary primary polls, questioned why Mutharika should be attending the UN conferences yearly when the trips benefits the President personally than nationally.

He was speaking on Monday’s Capital Radio talk show program.

“Kamuzu Banda hardly went to the UN conference but under his leadership, the country developed [Bakili Muluzi went to UN when he was elected and last year of his term for farewell]. This President goes to the UN without any agenda,” said Nawena.

He said as long as Mutharika is President, the country will never develop because he has no vision.

Outspoken Nawena is former lecture at University of Malawi.

Political and social commentator Humpheys Mvula concurred with Nawena that there was need for the government to consult widely prior to the UN trip.

He said the trip should not be taken by government as an opportunity to “thank” party sympathisers including traditional leaders by taking them aboard just for allowances.

He said the government was obliged to tell tax payers how many people are on this year’s UN trip in the US. Foreign Affairs minister has refused to say.