Oppositon Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Peter Mutharika says he has not endorsed former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Dalitso Kabambe to take take over from the former president as party leader.
Mutharika dismissed assertions that he had a preferred candidate to take over DPP
Mutharika was speaking at a news conference on Saturday at his retirement home in Mangochi accompanied by his loyalists, who included Bright Msaka, Francis Mphepo and Chimwemwe Chipungu.
The former president said he has not endorsed anyone to lead the DPP as people have been speculating, arguing the party, at an appropriate time in 2023, would have a convention to elect a leader.
Mutharika, however, said he would not be standing as a presidential candidate during the next party convention.
The former president also took time during the news conference to accuse the current government of running what he called “a cruel system” in which journalists are being abused and arrested.
Mutharika said during his regime, he did not allow police to arrest anyone including journalists who were critical of his leadership.
He has since challenged government to allow people exercise their freedoms freely.
The former leader said there was need for Malawians to support the country develop.
He, however, said the government needs to tread carefully on its policies which are leading to loss of jobs., saying instead of creating one million jobs, the Tonse Alliance administration is creating one million poor people.
Mutharika cited incidents in which top companies like Bakhresha are closing operations.
