Malawi President gets only 40% of monthly pay: Mutharika says not in power for self-enrichment

President Peter Mutharika has said he is not seeking re-election because of money, saying he gets 40% of his K2.7 million monthly pay cheque.

The President gets a K2.7 million tax free monthly pay and Mutharika said he gets K1.5 million a month.

He was speaking on Tuesday in Blantyre after accepting  to run as a presidential candidate on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket next year.

“Let me reveal to you, more especially to those who think I am sticking to the seat of presidency because of money. I am here for the sake of development. I am supposed to be receiving K 2.7 million as my salary per month for being the president of this country but I get 60 percent and give back to government the rest,” said Mutharika.

“You can check with Treasury, Goodall (Minister of Finance) is here, I just get 40 per cent of my pay. I am not in government to enrich myself,” he said.

Mutharika asked the newly elected national governing council  (NGC) members  of the ruling party to take his paths, saying they should be in the party to serve not to enrich themselves.

“Some of you go to companies and say I am the director of so and so therefore give me a contract, this must stop,” he said.

He warned the NGC members against using their positions for self enrichment.

Mutharika also warned the NGC members that they risk expulsion from the ruling party if they do not behave.

He therefore said the party will soon hold a retreat to orient the newly elected national governing council members on their role in the party.

Speaking on the  elective  convention, Mutharika said it  has been peaceful, accountable, transparent and outstanding compared to other party conventions Malawi has held – apparently referring to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) which commentators said it was a charade and the violent Aford convention which ended having two presidents  of two factions.

“First of all let me commend the DPP officials and members for entrusting me to be the torch bearer for DPP in 2019 polls. I have accepted the offer with appreciation and congratulate everyone who participated in the convention in one way or the other.

“Ours was full of democracy,” Mutharika said.

The President then called for unity in the party saying only love and unity could make the DPP party strong ahead of 2019 elections.

“I encourage those who have won various positions to work extra hard for the benefit of the party. You have been elected not for your own good but for the good of the party, so let us go out there and work,” he said.