Mutharika calls Mugabe ‘a real African hero’ : Malawi, Zimbabwe in ‘excellent relations’

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has underscored the notion that Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe is an African Hero.

In an interview carried by Voice of America (VOA) which he has with Blessings Zulu in New York recently after attending the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Mutharika said Mugabe is a real African hero with a rich history of fighting against colonialism.

“We have excellent relations with Zimbabwe. We have never had any problems … In the whole African Union I think it is clear that comrade Mugabe is seen as a real hero you know, when he speaks everyone listens because he has such a rich history of the struggle against colonialism,” Mutharika said.

The Malawi President said Mugabe, who is loathed by the West, “ symbolizes that generation of very great African leaders.”

Mutharika’s elder brother late president Bingu wa Mutharika also decored Mugabe to a hero’s status by naming a road after him.

President Mugabe himself inaugurated the Thyolo-Muloza road from Malawi to Mozambique, which is called the Robert Mugabe Highway.

The road was funded with money from the European Union, which imposed sanctions on Mugabe.

Malawi leadership hails Mugabe as a true son of Africa and a democrat who has liberated his people.

During the interview on VOA, Muthaika was also asked to comment on presidential term limits, he said: “It really depends, I think in some cases people think term limits are good that it brings in new leadership. Some people think that the only term limit that is important is the voters themselves. The voters can decide when they are going to term limit you.”

He said normally in parliamentary systems it is difficult to have term limits. “It really depends on each country.”

Asked about democracy, he said even the United States after 250 years has been struggling with this form of governance, which is a political process.

“ … And we have embarked on that in Africa and I think there are a lot of elements of democracy we are having. Malawi for the first time we had tripartite elections in 2014 for president, parliament and local councils. So, for the first time we had elections at the local level which means that democracy is now going down to the people, to the roots and I think that is success.”