Mutharika says Malawi opposition fear losing in 2019, cites Economist poll

President Peter Mutharika has scoffed the idea of the opposition to form an electoral coalition in 2019 elections and field one-presidential candidate, saying the plan is borne out of fear of losing.

“I know the opposition is afraid of DPP [Democratic Progressive Party], no wonder they are planning to field one presidential candidate in the 2019,” said Mutharika on Thursday  in Thyolo, his home and political bedrock.

The President was launching constructon works of the Thyolo- Thekerani- Muona Road.

Mutharika accused the opposition of sabotage, saying they want tu frustrate  his government’s development projects including the Malata and Cement subsidy programme.

He challenged the opposition that “they will not succeed.”

President Mutharika said opposition were panicking because of one of the world’s most renowned research and analysis institutions, Economist Intelligence Unit, has forecast victory for DPP in 2019.

In its 2nd quarter forecast report on Malawi, the EIU gives Mutharika credible chances at the polls for how stable his leadership has been even in the face of no donor support for the national budget.

President Mutharika -the report says – stands shoulder above the rest having managed to present a strong campaign message at the 2014 polls which facilitated Democratic Progressive Party’s comeback after two years in the sojourn as an opposition party.

It is the incumbency among the many factors that will maintain his momentum along the electoral landscape past 2019, the report notes.

Among Mutharika’s main focus areas of his leadership are Community Technical Colleges, Decent and Affrodable Housing for the poor, Public Sector Reforms, Greenbelt Initiave, massive Foreign Direct Investment and a strong anti-corruption drive.

The report further cements Malawi Congress Party (MCP) position as the main opposition bloc in the country while denying them any chance of upstaging President Mutharika any time soon.

MCP has been Malawi’s main opposition party for 22 years now.

The report also completely discards any chances for former leader Joyce Banda to make any comeback to the political fray soon owing to her damaged image due to Cashgate.

Both MCP and PP have thrown doubts over the report saying it does not reflect the reality on the ground.

EIU is a subsidiary of The Economist Group which also owns probably the world’s leading magazine, The Economist.