Ministers query Mutharika over ‘Prime Minister’, claims Ntata: Malawi leader said to be ‘puppet’

Seven cabinet ministers in the DPP-led government demanded an audience with President Peter Mutharika and told him face to face that they were not happy that the Head of State was “a puppet” to his special aide who goes around calling himself a ‘Prime Minister’ and boasting that he is above the ministers and can order them around.

According to the legal adviser to former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika Allan Ntata,   increasingly powerful special advisor to President Peter Mutharika, Ben Phiri is now running the show at State House.

The lawyer-cum-political strategist pointed out that Phiri wields considerable influence over Mutharika and that he is a de facto appointing authority.

This, according to Ntata, made the unnamed ministers to approach the President and that before the meeting could take place, the “Prime Minister “ tried to sabotage it and stop it altogether from happening but his efforts failed.

He reportedly insisted that he should attend the meeting but the ministers had the courage to demand from Mutharika that he should the room.

The seven ministers reportedly asked Mutharika if he was aware that his assistant was busy calling the Chief Secretary George Mkondiwa and making appointments that are supposed to be made by the President.

The wondered if the President knew that his assistant threatens cabinet ministers and heads of parastatals and other government departments to employ his relatives, and shakes down anyone who wants to see the President, especially Asians, to first give him a lot of money.

According to Ntata, the ministers asked Mutharika to “grow a pair of balls” and correct the matter, pointing out to him that in the year that he has been [resident, it is quite clear that he has left his assistant to deal with everything.

DPP spokesman Francis Kasaila, who is also Minister of Transport, said he has not heard such a meeting and dismissed Ntata’s claims as “baseless, unfounded and political propaganda.”

Kasaira said Ntata is a frustrated individual busy peddling lies “seeking attention”.

He said Ntata lacks the moral authority to be a critic of DPP.

“Ntata cannot be trusted. You can trust him at your own peril,” he said.

Ntata however said he states “facts” given to him by people involved and having firsthand knowledge of the matters being discussed.

“I’m not writing to provoke responses from anybody. my aim and objective is for the DPP to change the way it is running things. I assure you that I won’t stop writing simply because you interpret my articles as being against any given person or because you make assumptions about my motivation,” Ntata wrote on his Facebook Timeline.

“I have sources that give me information and I make observations based on developments as I see them,” said Ntata.

Phiri could not immediately comment.

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