Malawi flagship daily faults Mutharika

President Peter Mutharika failed to outline what his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led administration will do in the next five, Malawi’s flagship daily newspaper, The Nation, said in its editorial comment on Tuesday.

Mutharika was sworn in last Saturday as the country’s fifth President and made his inaugural address under the theme ‘The Will of the People’ on Monday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

But the paper, which was recently voted 2014 Misa Malawi Print Media House of the year, say Mutharika’s inaugural speech left the nation in suspense and that it rendered conflicting messages.

President Mutharika gets lovely hug from 'First Lady' Getrude Maseko
President Mutharika gets lovely hug from ‘First Lady’ Getrude Maseko

The daily paper, in its editorial comment, faults the Malawi leader for issuing “veiled threats” to his predecessor, Joyce Banda.

“For example, he called for unity of purpose and explicitly stated that he would not waste time on vengeance and later issued veiled threats to his predecessor,” says the paper.

The Print Media House of the Year further urges the Mutharika administration to be focused and elevate their objectives above mediocre issues to set and implement feasible, long-term policies to attain consistent economic growth and social stability in the country.

“President Mutharika and his administration should be mindful that followers can never rise above their leaders’ attitude, they are the pacesetters.

“As such, we expect clarity in the manner they will deliver their objectives henceforth and not leave people in suspense,” reads part of the comment.

And a season journalist Raphael Tenthani also punched holes to the speech saying it was “so flat it was uninspiring, if not boring.”

Tenthani noted that Mutharika’s delivery was also “not inspiring.”

“He seemed tired, disinterested. He even rushed through it, asking us to read it ourselves on the Internet. My foot! And his mannerisms were disgusting, he was too shifty.”

But one of the local human rights activists, Billy Banda argued that Mutharika’s speech was encouraging, inspiring and most progressive.

Banda, executive director of Malawi Watch, urged the DPP led administration to involve former presidents and vice presidents in running the affairs of this country.

“It was good that the former president Bakili Muluzi attended the inaugural ceremony and some vice presidents.

“It was unfortunate that only outgoing president was not present,” said Banda.

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