Mutharika says aid has destroyed Africa: ‘I have 5 ways of rescuing Malawi’

President Professor Peter Mutharika has described colonialism and aid to Africa as organized systems meant to cripple Africans.

Mutharika: Malawi needs foreign direct investment not aid
First Lady Getrude Mutharika in audience at Washingtyon University listening to President Mutharika’s address
The audience at Washingtyon University listening to President Mutharika’s address
Washington University welcoming Mutharika
Professor Mutharika being confered an honourary degree at Washington University

The Malawi leader said he has since found five ways of rescuing Malawians from such system.

Mutharika was speaking Sunday at Washington University in St. Louis, United States of America, where he was conferred upon the Doctor of Humane Letters. He taught at the University for 40 years.

He said as he reflected on leading Malawi while at the University, he realized that African states were in poverty because they lacked capacity to act independently and determine their economic autonomy.

“I saw my country in the same situation. I thought this incapability was conditioned by two major factors. First was colonialism, which used education to destroy Africans’ belief in themselves. It created a collective inferiority complex, a negative self-concept by making Africans to believe that there was nothing good about them,” said Mutharika.

“As I speak, the biggest challenge in my country is the problem of mindset. We think too negatively,” he added.

Condemning aid to Africa, Mutharika said: “The second problem is that we have been caught up in a global economic system that is tilted against our favour. The system is organized to marginalize Africa from the global decision-making processes.

“The decision to pump aid into Africa as opposed to bringing investments and industries has never been in favour of Africa. In fact, it has only destroyed Africa.”

He said Malawi needs five things to move from the poverty bondage created by colonizers, thus moving from aid to trade by producing goods to bring industries.

He also said Malawi needs foreign direct investors who must inject in capital, create industries and jobs and not leaving out democratic atmosphere to create an environment for foreign direct investment.

“We need to create a skilled labour society in order to empower the youth to be productive agents of the industrialization process.

“We need infrastructure such as roads and energy to support the investment and industrialization process,” said Mutharika.

He said since assuming power in 2014, Malawi is moving from aid to trade using direct investment and that it is rising on the Global Index of Doing Business.

Mutharika said his administration is also focusing on ensuring that the foreign investors together with rural communities begin serious industrialization. He said his government is also establishing community technical colleges to empower the youth.

“I have seen community technical colleges support economic growth, including here in the US. In fact, here in the US, it is community colleges that have moved minority communities upwards,” said Mutharika adding that his government has also focused on building new infrastructure and taking electricity to rural communities and investing in power generation.

He thanked Washington University for conferring on him the Professorship saying: “Washington University and the community of St. Louis have inspired the passion that drives me to lead my country today.”

Mutharika also received the same degree from Addis Ababa University 10 years ago. He also received the Charles Nagel Professorship. A few weeks ago, he received another Professorship from the University of International Business and Economics in China.

Mutharika arrived in the US on September 22 to attend the 73rd United Nations General Assembly.

 

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#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
6 years ago

For 54 years Malawi has failed to rescue itself despite piles of aid funds and multilateral loans. The problem isn’t lack of natural resources but failure of imagination from our leaders. They’re greedy and deeply corrupt. If Mutharika was able to implement just half of what he puts on paper (theories), Malawi will be in a much better place……much better socio-economic position.

Hatton
Hatton
6 years ago

Cheo Muyata, I agree with you. The man, APM, is ready to take off into more and more action. Cheo, would you tell Chakwera and Chilima ( the two evil C’s) to stop obstructing APM from springing into more and more action.
APM, you are a darling. You have my vote in May 2019 and also the votes of all able minded Malawians.

cheyo muyata
cheyo muyata
6 years ago

The speech is great. We now need action on the ground.
We need to re work the curricula of several programs in our Universities and colleges. We need to change our thinking pattern e.g. going to school so that you get employed instead of developing a skill for self employment.
We should be critically looking at what is really wrong with us (we don’t even have large farms like Illovo yet we have an Agriculture institution, no companies that can be building roads yet we have the polytechnic producing civil engineers, etc).

Patrick Phiri
Patrick Phiri
6 years ago

APM is truly a man of the people. He has delivered a powerful message.

Patrick Phiri
Patrick Phiri
6 years ago

A president who cares about his people has spoken. Bravo APM! Malawians love you. You have our support and vote.

Tiyanjane
Tiyanjane
6 years ago

I appeal to residents of St. Louis, Missouri, USA to demand return of the Doctor Humane Letters conferred to this thief of a president.

zikomo
zikomo
6 years ago

Degree ya sole signatory……..contrary to corporate governance…….yobera k145,000,000.00

Sure
Sure
6 years ago

Kholowa he is right kudabwera ma tractor as donation kwa alimi mudagawana… and peter ndiwa bodza hes talking things of which he can’t walk in it… ngati adalephera kumanga chaponda even investigating issue ya MSB yomwe idagulidwa mwa chinyengo komaso ndalama kutengedwa ndi anthu ngati MULI . Nde akakambe izi …

zikomo
zikomo
6 years ago

choyamba kubweza k145,000,000.00 ku boma osati kwa mmwenye uja kenaka…….

Khamani!!!
Khamani!!!
6 years ago

Cheap talk from nothing but a common thief!!! Ukagwere uko … mmxxiii!!

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Mutharika’s ‘political journey’ speech at Washington University: Read it in full

This speech was delivered on Sunday, 30 September when Washington University conferred upon President Peter Mutharika the Doctor of Humane...

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