Malawi leader urged to ‘sober up’ amidst fragile mandate: ‘Al-Shabaab bit misplaced’
President Peter Mutharika on Saturday dominated titles in the newspaper columns following his one-and-a-half hour State of the Nation Address (Sona) when he opened the first meeting of the 48th Session of Parliament on Friday and has been criticised of failing national unity test.
The Weekend Nation newspaper has tipped Mutharika, whose election as president is being disputed by his two closest contestants in the elections—MCP’s Lazarus Chakwera and UTM’s Saulos Klaus Chilima— to reach out to everybody including the opposition.
“What Mutharika needs to do now is, he needs to devise a system that would enable him to get mandate from the people,” the paper said in a comment.
The paper pointed out that Mutharika made some serious assertions about unnamed political leaders he said were planning to distabilise the country.
Said Mutharika: “I know two political leaders who discussed the possibility of exploding Kamuzu Stadium on the day of my swearing-in ceremony. They must know that I know.
“These two political leaders have tried to recruit mercenary militias from Al-Shabaab and the Congo war zone to come and create anarchy in this country. Is this the leadership we want?”
The paper said it is this background that the President should “sober up and desist from demonising opposition leaders.”
It pointed out that the President’s assertion that “two political leaders discussed the possibility of exploding Kamuzu Stadium on the day of his swearing-in ceremony” is totally misplaced and out of sync with efforts to unite the country.
Reads the comment: “This is a serious allegation. If Mutharika has compelling evidence that there are some political leaders who planned to bring Al-Shabaab to cause anarchy in Malawi, why not allow the law to take its course?”
Also in the paper, its managing editor Ephraim Munthali writing on his ‘Cut-the-chaff’ column faulted President Mutharika that he missed an opportunity to demonstrate that he can rise above political pettiness by attempting to strike regional balance in the allocation of Cabinet positions.
Munthali stated that having looked at the Mutharika’s 24-member Cabinet announced Wednesday, he is beginning to doubt Mutharika’s promise during his inauguration speech to work hard and unite the country after bruising elections.
“But while the President has the right to bring into his Cabinet anyone from anywhere, to equate one district (Thyolo) to whole regions (Centre and South) by giving the district and the regions equal number of Ministers sends troubling signals, especially when the President’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is plastered with tribalistic images,” writes Munthali.
He continued: “The dominance of Thyolo in the Cabinet appointments raises the profile of the district to special treatment levels that has potential to bring resentments nationwide.”
Also writing on his column in the Weekend Nation, Steve Nhlane titled his column ‘ APM has no agenda to unite Malawi.”
He wrote: “Like in the Parable of the Bags of Gold (Mathew 25:14—30), Mutharika’s strong message in the composition of this Cabinet is simple. To the South which is his support base, he is giving them a pat on the back – Well done, good and faithful servant! … You have been faithful [to me] … I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
The columnist continued: “On the other hand, to the Centre and North, Mutharika is scorning them for not supporting him -You wicked, lazy servant! ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has 10 bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have in abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Mutharika has since outlined how his DPP-led government intends to tackle corruption, grow the economy, improve health delivery service, education, put food on people’s tables, improve transport infrastructure, energy and mining sector and the need for peace.
He also stated how his government intends to actualise what they have promised the people.
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AL shabab yodi ili momuno mu Malawi, ikundzaongola mikono ya Pitala, so indeed the guy is right!
Ndichimbuzi izi. How can a leader make funny of Al Shabab the way people are suffering in the countries they are terrorizing. Tonde weniweni wochotsa mapwala! Or you wanted to say when you started killing people with albinism you are introducing Al Shabab?
But dont mention things for the sake of mentioning. Al Shabaab nature of fight does not include political bickering. It is more of a religious fanatics. Even with Chakwera will be hated by Al Shabaab being a pastor.
Kodi bwana Bandawe ali kuti amuchite amulangize APM. It shows this guy is now a psychic. As commander in chief of the armed forces why not apprend the hoodlums who wanted to bomb the Kamuzu Stadium eeeeish? Kuona mazangazimwe munthu wakwiBa/ munkhungu wakufikapo.
When small businesses are dying because of poor policies, policies aimed at enriching a few individuals. Malawi is a failed state.
Msowoya M’bulu ngati iwe nindamuonemo pacharo chasi pano. You are the most ignorant creature on this globe than even the cocroach that is in Heaven if at all there is any there. Just Leave ISLAM ALONE my dear. Islam will never be equal or even comparable to ur belief that believes in OPPRESSING other people through the use of TIPP-EX while at the same time claiming themselves that they are intellectuals ! Ridiculous !!!!!!!!!!!
Like it or not APM is already in power until 2024
like he will live for ever lol either way it will be short lived “illegitimate” power whether timely death or court nullification of election results due to fraud!
Nonsense comments
You journalists should not stretch HE’s statement beyond imagination. No names we mentioned. Stop using “Things Fall Apart” when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. Secondly, the president had no reason putting people in cabinet from areas that did not vote for home. To appease them or what? These are people who would frustrate his programmes. Let the president work with the people that he had confidence in. Not necessarily with those who expect to be appeased.
In fighting crime and terrorism, you do not go on political podium and casually say that the police told me that there are two al shabaab gang leaders at Kamuzu stadium. No. You spring into action. You choose the fastest protocal. There is no time for niceties. Get a grip my friend.