Mutharika subtly concedes defeat in Malawi presidential election: ‘Impunity has fallen’

June 27, 2020 Zawadi Chilunga - Nyasa Times 55 Comments

Outgoing president Peter Mutharika has subtly conceded defeat in the presidential election after being outclassed by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Rev. Dr Lazarus Chakwera, who headed Tonse Alliance—comprising nine different political parties.

Mutharika. To accept results for the sake of peace.-Photo: Thoko Chikondi, AP

Mutharika, who assumed leadership in 2014 and was seeking re-election said he expected  an election without irregularities, especially that the Court nullified the 2019 election  on the basis of irregularities.

“Sadly, as all Malawians have seen, this election is the worst in Malawi’s history of our Elections,” he said.

“Our monitors were beaten, hacked, abducted and intimidated so that they should not participate in voting observation process. Many of the tally sheets do not have signatures as monitors were in hospitals and could not be present to endorse results,” said Mutharika at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.

Mutharika, who was flanked by his running mate, said in most instances, most of the results that were sent to MEC are “not a true reflection of the people.”

He said: Unfortunately, there were no DPP and UDF monitors to report irregularities. Strangely, the Malawi Electoral Commission has dismissed our complaints because our monitors were not there to report irregularities.”

Mutharika in his subtle acceptance of defeat, urges  the nation to go into soul-searching and self-reflection and that Malawians should  move on peacefully.

“Much as I find this election unacceptable, but for the sake of peace, and for the love of our country, which is larger than us all, I wish to ask all Malawians to be peaceful when the results are announced. It is only my sincere hope that we will unite to take this country forward instead of taking it backward,” he said.

Mutharika was seeking a  second term of office but tumbled in the court-sanctioned fresh elections after Chakwera  paired with UTM Party president Saulos Chilima.

Chilima was the country’s estranged State Vice-President after he dumped Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and will remain as the country’s second command.

While Mutharika was conceding, his party’s administrative secretary Francis Mphepo was pushing for a third presidential election, citing irregularities and intimidation in a vote re-run.

Voters in the southern African country went to the polls on 23 June for the second time in 13 months after the Constitutional Court scrapped a presidential election over alleged fraud.

DPP called Friday on the electoral commission to annul results collated so far and declare a third poll as it questioned the credibility of the vote re-run.

Commentator and newspaper columnist in Malawi News, Geroge Kasakula  pointed out on Saturday that while the erstwhile governing party tried using all means in the world to defend its tribalistic and regionalistic schemes, it was so apparent that it was its desire to see Malawians being segregated according to where we come from.

“The polarisation that DPP created is among those issues that resulted into the party performing badly in the Central and Northern regions. Malawians in these regions just felt they had nothing to do with a governing party that clearly showed where its interests were and who it was worried about,” he wrote.

Kasakula said the DPP has lost the election because the party had no chance to rig again, saying the system was so tight that every scheme that those wicked men and women who have arrogated the will of Malawians before was sufficiently parried away.

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55 replies on “Mutharika subtly concedes defeat in Malawi presidential election: ‘Impunity has fallen’”

  1. He didn’t concede anything, wangonyanyala ndi kumapita. The man was out of touch from start to finish. A wasted Presidency.

  2. It’s always sad when it comes to this. I honestly pity APM because his luckluster performance can be attributed to no other than a bunch of so-called advisors who did not care a hoot about the countless blunders he was making time and again. All they cared about was how much personal worth would acrue in the end. These advisors, some of them as powerful as ministers have melted away to enjoy the ill-gotten wealth. We will get them.

  3. If you read every comment on here, most of them have three things in common (1) corruption (2) nepotism and (3) tribalism. These 3 evils are the main reasons why people in Africa form political parties and fight to get into power. They fight not because they want to change the system,they fight because they want to be part of that corrupt, nopitistic and tribal system. They want to join the feeding trough. The new political party voted into power last week is only coming in to replace the characters of the corrupt, nepotistic and tribal system with their own characters and continue with the same system. This is african politics. It happens every where in Africa. The only thing you can be hopeful about is that maybe your tribe has someone to look out for it now, maybe your relative can give that job you want or maybe that contract can come to you now even though you are not qualified. I a sorry to be so pessimistic, but this is the reality we all live in. Don’t fool yourself that things will be any different, you just have a new set of thieves who are already plotting how they can use this system to benefit themselves before the nect guys come in.

  4. Overall history will be kind on you old man. In your term you had to operate with no donor support for 3 years. Worked your socks off to regain the donor trust back. Now both IMF and world Bank are praising Malawi economic outlook. In additional to bring infrastructure and social development project that will live long. And the 20 community vocational colleges

    2. Despite all what people are saying. Mutharika was and will still be a good person. I have lived in a single party and democratic era. In both eras, we have never had a president as meek as Peter Mutharika. who could smile at an insult without taking action He is a statesman!!

  5. 1st it was the opposition that was bad thereafter the judiciary, later parliament now electral commission, APM you mean all these are wrong and you are the only one who is right? Do some soul searching serious soul searching, then you will know what went wrong. Go well former President.

  6. Grandpa was a good president, the problem was the people around him, greedy thieves. He started out good and went down hill from. Hope there will be change with the new sheriff in town

    1. He was not, in fact he was not only the architect of nepotism and cronyism he was the perpetrator and perpetuater. People have lost lifetime opportunities

    2. Take a screen shot of your post. It will also be true after the results of the next presidential election. Infact it will be true after every presidential election. The new president has good intentions at heart, he is going to fail because of the same reasons that Mutharika failed on, the people around him. In African politics, be it in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, DRC, Mozambique, people join political parties not to change things, but to be part of the system and steal from the public. In Malawi, this is a concept people are not seeing yet. Sadly the cycle will continue. How long do you think it will take before we start reading stories of Tonse people in government being accused of corruption? I say 6 months.

    3. HE WAS INCOMPTENT TO THE CORE!, he had no balls at all, that is why the people around him took advantage of that and dragged him to the drain with them, he has nobody to blame but himself

    1. And the only president who failed miserably. Brought nepotism and tribalism. Everyone in top government positions is from Thyolo and Mulanje.

    2. If you say an idiot of a president who only survived one term.You know and he knows even in 2014 he didn’t win.They played games with Harry Kanjewe who was completed by a job at admarcband now he is the PS at external affairs.

  9. All the best in life obwana.
    Give Laz his rightful space to show Malawians what leadership means

  10. Silly person. You were clinging on the chair to continue punishing other tribes. Chimunthu choipa iwe. Wazunza ana athu pamodzi ndi chimtundu chako chofuna zapompopompo. Zianthu zosadziwa kubsyala koma kumangopakula. Kumangovotela zizete ndicholinga choti ziziba ndikumapinda malamulo. Anthu oipa inu. Mitundu ina kumalima ndikumakha misonko, izozo nkumangozipenta, kusolola ndi madano. Mtheradi mulape, otherwise matembelero anu asagwele paana anu osalakwa.

  11. A scanning device at Sanjika Palace was used to scan some of the PAULENDO EXECUTIVE LUGGAGE some of the items packed in the executive suitcases included :- – a classic book titled “HOW TO HOLD ON TO POWER” using the following tactics (1) nepotism (2) tribalism (3) home district development (4) appointing royalist fools to cabinet and other strategic posts especially in the security agencies (5) diplomatic appointments of appeasement or to get rid of officials posing danger to unconstitutional system of government and the list goes on. It is understood that these unprofessional materials are on high demand elsewhere on the continent of Africa where the Professor of law specializing in institutional capture is expected to be employed by some universities of those countries. As for Malawi this a perfectly good riddance. Go away professor, the sooner you leave Malawi the better for the speedy healing of our land.It’s a pity there are still covid-19 travel restrictions in many countries but itI should be easy for a notorious professor of your caliber to find your way around. Bon voyage!!!

  12. Next time,we shall also hack mcp monitors, we shall also chase away mcp monitors, we shall also abduct mcp monitors, we shall also kill mcp monitors and mcp monitors shall also not be available to sign tally sheets and the election shall still be credible because this is now allowed by MEC. One party can sign tally sheets and that’s ok. If monitors are hacked and prevented to vote, that is a police case and the vote is still valid according to Kachale’s MEC .
    As DPP and UDF, we are watching this carefully.

    1. Hahaha listening to baby Atu? Ife a central region we don’t even know where those fabricated things happened. Zangokuwawani kuti you failed to rig this time. Inuyo mass produced A4 voter registrations kukafika kovotera kukapeza A5 voting materials. Koma Kachale!😂😂😂😂

    2. Again another fool. What is the role of monitors during elections? The most important people there are police, army and MEC officers. A monitor can refuse to sign a form after he saw that his candidate failed. So we can’t stop an election because of that. Report your problem to police.

  13. The first worst elections? My foot! Have you forgotten the worst administration you have ever offered to Malawians? For your information this has been the best election ever. Your votes could not be counted if monitors were not there and sign at polling stations.

  14. A party made up of 9 different parties and you expected them to lose? The whole process was wrong. After nullifying the bite the court should have ruled that the same parties should stand for new elections and nit combining all losers. In other ways a combination of losing party votes has ousted DPP not MCP and UTM. Useless. Now Malawi has three political parties from 11 parties as of last year. Wow!!!

    2. Who was on the ballot papers? I have no idea why DPP is full of mediocrities. Who stopped APM from choosing Chilima other than his vindictive tribalism. Based on the ballot paper, we can’t say parties combined but withdraw and supported one candidate which is very normal. Too many cowards in DPP.

  15. Worst elections eva !
    My foot !!
    Were you here in Malawi in 1994 and 1999 respectively to say this is the worst elections?
    Simply because your puppet Mec Chair ~Jane ansah is not there at Mec to save you then you feel this is the worst elections .
    That’s why you were too afraid to go on the ground again for the elections?
    Bakili was said to be a semi~educated soul , but his govt ticked a little bit

    But you showed ur failure from day one in all the ministries ur late bro assigned u to head.
    You’re a total failure, shameless, useless and visionless leader Malawi had eva had b4
    Go , rest and enjoy those ill~ gotten monies u had bn stealing from us during ur tenure.

    Chilima shud single handedly probe ur wealth and that of ur body guard~ Norman Chisale who became a billionaire over night at the expense of ur sleeping on the job..

  16. Chilima was the greatest asset that Mutharika had, but he failed totally to use that asset. Chakwera will not make this mistake.

    1. That totally true. Mutharika failed to use Chilimas calibre to take this nation forward. He dag the pit 4himself

  17. Farewell apm… History takes long to diclare its verdict, the villains of today may be declared saints tomorrow. It maybe after their deaths.

  18. Kapumeni mwatinyasa mokwanira. Munthu woyips opha ma alubino, wankhanza, woyips moyo, wodzikonda. And umayembekezera kuwina. Shit.

  19. MWAZIWONATU ADAD,MUNATAYA ANA ANO ENIENI IFE KUTENGANA NDI ANA WOWAPEZA NDIZIMENEZI.
    MUMADYA NDI ANA AKUCHIBWEZI AMAGOKUNAMIZANI.

  20. Very poor speech the people have spoken they have accepted a NEW President you are talking as a sore loser please just go quitely. History will judge you leaving no legacy of your time as President with minimal accomplishments and improvement to the Nation when SO MUCH MORE WAS expected from you.
    To make such allegations without proof is a disgrace to suggest this was the worst election ever is contempt to the hard work people who put in so much effort to ensure a fair election. You can request a recount but will not matter as you were overwhelmingly defeated.

  22. I have just received the asylum papers of Peter to South Africa. We wish him safe journey although you may be called back to answer corruption charges.

  24. APM has started speaking like Donald Trump: The worst elections in Malawi’s history, my foot! This is THE BEST election Malawi has ever conducted.

    Next, you will be saying you are the best president in Malawi’s history…👇

  25. Umbuli shameless Mutharika and his DPP” it is not mandatory for candidates to have representatives or candidate’s monitors present at any stage of the electoral process as witnesses for the electoral process!!!

  26. APM is history now and will be remembered as the most incompetent executive Malawi has ever had ever since the British Empire colonists were shown the exist door by Malawians 🇲🇼

  28. Good bye the most evil president Malawi has ever had. You have single handedly destroyed this beautiful nation. You are leaving behind a destroyed nation and hearts. This is proof that Malawi is a Godly nation because He had rescued this nation from your bondage. You’re going in the history books as the worst and evil president to rule this country. Hope you will find peace in your old age. You should pray for forgiveness otherwise you’ll die a miserable human being. May God bless Malawi.

  31. It’s called The Republic of Malawi not The Lomwe Republic. No room for nepotism in this country.

  32. This was by far the best election we have ever had. APM has been thoroughly beaten. Accept defeat. It is over. Regionalism and tribalism policies have resulted in your defeat. Vindictive tribalism has brought you down. Too much corruption.

  33. Mutharika, how can you be useless even in defeat? You are the worst president that this country has ever seen. Let me be clear here, if you refuse to handover power tonight you will see what Gbagbo faced in the Ivory coast.

    1. Koma Apitala kuwachinya Mbakuwaku aaaasija mmati OChakwera singapange nawo debate mumaloza kuti saizi yao ndi Mchacha.Muasamanyoze muziopa Chiuta mwaona lero zakusokonekerani.Mulape

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