Mutharika tells UNGA he won credible polls: Blames MCP for Malawi turmoil

Malawian President Peter Mutharika on Thursday addressed the annual gathering of world leaders for the United Nations General Assembly and said he won his second and final constitutional five-year term of office through a  process that was duly audited by a UN affiliated  network but accused opposition leaders’ campaign to annul the May elections on getting more angry people on the streets with violence.

Like all other world leaders, who discussed their country’s progress and priorities, with some giving a particular emphasis on climate change,  Mutharika  also tacked how his administration is doing on national development framework  before he discussed local politics most of part of his speech.

He used his address to the United Nations to discuss the Malawi situation on the political front.

Mutharika told the UNGA that  he was  re-elected   in the electoral process that was duly audited by a United Nations affiliated network called BDO.

Said Mutharika: “This election was unanimously  declared free, fair and credible by the European Union, the African Union, SADC [Southern African Development Community]  and the Commonwealth observer missions.

“But the Opposition, led by Malawi Congress Party decided not to accept this very credible Election. This is the party that ruled Malawi under dictatorship for 31 years.”

Malawians went to the polls on Tuesday to elect 193 members of parliament, 462 local government councillors and the President. But MCP president Lazarus Chakwera and  UTM Party president Saulos Chilima are in court seeking  nullification of the presidential elections results claiming irregularities.

President Mutharika is the first respondent in the elections case as declared winner with Malawi Electoral Commission  (MEC) as the second respondent.

But in his address at the world stage, Mutharika, a professor in international law and constitutional expert, said the opposition went to court but ignored the court process and claimed that they waged “ a vicious campaign of violence” in the disguise of demonstrations.

“Their violence betrayed a desire for ethnic cleansing, a desire for civil war, an attempt to demolish the economy and to make Malawi an ungovernable state of lawlessness.

“We responded with peaceful resistance and insisted on the rule of law. We fought violence with peace; and fought hate with love. This is what saved Malawi from degenerating into chaos. We have seen democracy and the rule of law at its best in Malawi,” said Mutharika.

The President said Malawi remains a peaceful and stable country that we have always known. Malawi remains a beautiful destiny for tourists and investors.

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