Mutharika refuses media interviews  after presenting nomination papers

President Peter Mutharika snubbed  journalists who gathered at at Chichiri International Conference Centre in Blantyre, widely known as Comesa Hall, when he refused to take questions from them as has been the case with all other presidential candidates who presented their nomination papers to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

The journalists said they wanted to find out from Mutharika how he settled for Everton Chimulerenji as running mate amid reports that he is related to First Lady Gertrude Mutharika.

After the presentation of the nomination papers, journalists from all media houses gather at one place where the MEC chief executive officer Sam Alufandika brings the presidential candidate to the media.

However, after Alufandika escorted the president to the “media corner”, Mutharika just said “no interviews” and proceeded to board an open vehicle.

Some journalists also said they wanted to find out from the President that he preaches peace and in the Comesa hall, he had signed a code of conduct which denounces political violence yet in the same hall during the presentation of the papers, Democratic Progressive Party  (DPP) cadets manhandled a person in while t-shirt whom they accused to be UTM Party member.

All presidential candidates, including Lazarus Chakwera, Saulos Chilima, Atupele Muluzi and Joyce Banda granted interviews to the journalists.