Mutharika to partner Msaka as running mate

President Peter Mutharika has settled to pick Education Minister Bright Msaka as his running mate in the 2019 elections, Nyasa Times  can exclusively reveal.

Insiders confided with Nyasa Times that Mutharika has settled for Msaka after being advised by his close confidants including wife, First Lady Getrude Mutharika.

“It is now clear that the President will not run either with Vice President Saulos Chilima or Atupele Muluzi (Minister of Health and UDF President) as many people were assuming. He has told us to start preparing for his ticket and Msaka,” said a source privy to the deal.

The source said many people are not comfortable of the President running with Chilima again as ‘Chilima has shown that he cannot be trusted’.

“In fact at first the Bwana wanted Atupele  to be the running mate when he was being changed to be minister of Health but some advisers  were not happy hence the decision to drop him,” said the source.

Nyasa Times  impeccable source also revealed that Msaka was seen as the only influential figure who can run with Mutharika considering that ‘they suffered together when they were arrested during Joyce Banda reign for treason’.

Msaka served as Chief Secretary to the Government during the late Bingu Mutharika reign and was maintained on the same position during the early days of President Joyce Banda until his arrest.

He comes from Yao land Liwonde in Machinga and is a Mang’anja by tribe.

Before joining politics, Msaka served in the diplomatic missions in Canada and United Kingdom during the Bakili Muluzi reign. He is a lawyer by training.

Nyasa Times corroborated this information with one of the influential ministers who also confirmed that indeed Msaka will run with Mutharika ‘although there are some people who are trying to force their way through’.

In the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Msaka is Vice-President for Eastern Region.