Mutharika is fit and well: State House says Malawi leader’s illness rumours ‘opposition propaganda’

State House says President Peter Mutharika is fit and well at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre and blamed the opposition for fuelling the rumours on social media that the Malawi leader has been poorly lately.

Rumour that has circulated on social media indicated Mutharika was gravely ill. However, these claims have not been corroborated by State House as presidential press secretary Mgeme Kalilani branded them as “sadistic.”

Some reports even speculated that Mutharika might not run in fresh presidential elections slated for July 2 due to chronic exhaustion.

In an interview with Nyasa Times on Saturday, Kalilani said the rumours should be dismissed as fake news.

Kalilani said the opposition alliance of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM Party with other partners  created a fake story about President Mutharika being sick  “to cover up for embarrassment caused by the World Health Organization approval that the Malawi Covid-19 positive cases are genuine .”

The opposition had been running with the narrative that the government of Malawi is making up coronavirus positive cases.

But WHO jointly held a news conference in Lilongwe alongside Centre for Disease Control (CDC) where they vouched for Malawi Ministry of Health results as being authentic.

WHO and CDC officials said a top-notch laboratory in Lilongwe is where testing is being done with qualified personnel and equipment.

“The opposition hopes that WHO was to disown the Malawi cases so that they could continue with their propaganda against the fight against coronavirus. They are disappointed hence the new fabrication of the President being sick. It’s a cover up story,” Kalilani said.

Mutharika recently also condemned politicians for wishing him dead.

He said he knows that one day he shall die but it was inhuman for someone to wish him dead for sake of political power.

“I know one day I will die. But what I want to say is that death doesn’t look at age, a five year old can die, a 20 year old can die, so too is a 47 yr old.

“Lets not wish each other bad things,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mutharika continues to govern the country from hilltop Sanjika Palace and  getting on to pull the country through the challenges of virus pandemic.