Mphepo denies hate-filled remarks against North Malawi

President Peter Mutharika’s special advisor on Political Affairs and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Administrative Secretary Francis Mphepo has expressed shock and disappointment over social media reports alleging that he told a party meeting that Mutharika will withdraw all development projects from the northern region because its people are ungrateful.

It is alleged that Mphepo said this when he had a meeting with the ruling party’s Members of Parliament at Blantyre Civic Centre last week.

Speaking to Nyasa Times, Mphepo’s aide Peter Mangulenje confirmed of the meeting but vehemently denied that Mphepo said that the northerners are ungrateful.

Mangulenje said “it is very disappointing and worrisome to note that Malawians have become so irresponsible in their use of social media as apparently it has now become a tool of smear campaign and tarnishing other people’s image.

“Francis Mphepo is a civilized and mature politician and President Mutharika chose him to be his advisor on politics after carefully analysing and being convinced that he fully understands political governance in a multiparty democracy.”

The Presidential Advisor’s Special Assistant went further to say that Mutharika can never abandon any region because he understands that he was voted into power by all Malawians regardless of the regions they come from.

He therefore assured the people of the northern region that development projects are coming as the DPP-led government stands for development for all regions.

“Mphepo and indeed President Mutharika fully understand that once a President or a party is voted into power seizes to belong to only those who support it but becomes a party or President for all the people in the country hence shoulder the obligation to develop every region of the country regardless of where its stronghold is.

“Therefore, people from the northern region should be rest assured that the President and his government will continue with development projects in the region,” explained further Mangulenje.

According to the alleged reports, Mphepo said the people from the north do not appreciate the President therefore he will put to stop all the developmental initiatives he planned.

The reports have made the Alliance for Democracy AFORD and the Malawi Congress Party MCP release statements expressing dismay with the purported remarks.

In their statement, AFORD says all malawians deserve development because it is enshrined in the constitution that they should have the said development.

AFORD Publicity Secretary Khumbo Mwaungulu says “government revenue does not belong to anyone and no one has a right to deprive any region government service.”

The MCP echoes the same as its Publicity Secretary Maurice Munthali indicates in a statement that “nobody in this country is obliged to thank Muntharika or anybody else for the developments they already deserve as provided in the Republican Constitution and mandated by hefty taxes they pay of their meager income.”

The DPP led government under Mutharika has a mark of the Nkhatabay Hospital, Mzuzu-Nkhatabay road, Livingstonia-Njakwa road which is under construction, the Mombera University also under construction and plans to construct an international airport in Mzuzu.