Mutharika ‘trapped in Mapwevupwevu’: Malawi News columnist hits President over eat-mice
President Peter Mutharika has again come under criticism for being out of touch and trapped in wealth – eating lavishly (mapwepwevu) and saying people should eat mice to cope with a nationwide food crisis.
Mutharika, who prides himself of being stinking rich, courted controversy when told hungry Malawians to eat mice in a bid to curb the scourge of hunger that had hit the nation.
And influential newspaper columnist George Kasakura writing on his ‘Hitting the Nail’ in Malawi News of July 2, 2016 says if President Mutharika thinks the Malawian people’s misery due to lack of food can become fodder for his “ribald jokes,” then it is yet another example of how the Head of State has become “insulated” to problems that are confronting the nation.
He writes: “It is cruel to joke with people that are starring into the jaws of death because they have no food more especially when the so called jokes have got something to do with their plight.
“It is unbridled lack of sensitivity that Malawians expect of their leaders and it is plainly wrong.”
Government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati in an attempt to put a possitive spin, said President Mutharika was simply cracking a joke.
Kaliati, who is also Minister of Infomation , said the criticism following Mutharika’s utterances could only be described as “thoughtless”.
But Kasakura, the Malawi News columnist, who is also Editor-In-Chief for the paper, noted that the spin by Kaliati shows that both the President and his PR team” do not get it.”
He writes that the problem is “ insulation from the problems that are confronting Malawians everyday that the President and his handlers are suffering from.”
Adding: “That is why they have the audacity to proscribe petty solutions to the ills and when confronted, they shamelessly say it was the President’s sense of humour that was at work.
“In any case, let them not make Malawians commit the same mistake they are committing by making them laugh. Since when has the President developed any sense of humour?”
The columnist pointed out that it is common knowledge that humour is not the strength of President Mutharika.
He stated that Malawi will not have another Bakili Muluz (who governed Malawi from 1994 to 2004) whose public jokes still tickle our fancy until today.
Hitting the nail, the columnist stated that “it is plainly wrong to joke about poor people who do not know where their next meal will come from about their plight.”
It is insulting their dignity, he stressed
As a matter of fact, the writer drives home the truth for the President that 8.4 million Malawian – almost half the country’s population – are on the brink of starvation.
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I am beginning to hate word “patriotic” as it has continuously been misused in Malawi. Mentioning what is wrong means that the person is very patriotic than the mere hand clappers and prez handlers for that matter.
Honestly speaking our President is not a good public speaker. It is better for him to just to stay at state house than holding these senseless so called development rallies because often times when he opens his mouth he is courting controversy. A Professor ? My foot.
Actually, the president is indeed insensitve to Malawian situation. he needs to come down from the ivory tower. The president always champions policies. currently DPP policy focuses on FISP for production of mainly maize. if indeed the president has done a new research that informs him eating mice is the best strategy to mitigate hunger, then FISP should also focus on developing mice and grasshopper industries. lekani kudzikonda kotere
Ineyo kunena zowona uyu Kasakula ndimadabwa naye kuti mpando wonana wa ku Malawi news anawupeza bwanji. Kuyambira pachiyambi mkulu ameneyi zolemba zake sindimakondwera nazo. One amakhala emotional ngati si journalist. Two amawoneka kuti ali ku mbali ya opposition makamaka mcp. Three samachita balance ma views ake. Anthu oterewa siwoyenera kugwira ntchito ya media. Ndimasilira malemu Edward Chitsulo. Amene aja ndiye amene amalemba zinthu mopanda kukondera. Boma inde lili ndi mavuto ake koma malembedwe a a china Kasakula amachita kuwonekeratu kuti ndi munthu woti samagwiritsa ntchito nzeru koma ma insticts
Iwe kamba maganizo ako .usakambe za ena .iyenso ndi momwe wayionera nkhaniyi amayenera akambe maganizo ake basi. Peter muthalika ndi munthu amenedi ali osaganizira anthu ake mchezo sumachita ndi munthu wanjala pokha pokha ngati mmutu mwako muli madzi okhaokha.
Iwe Tembo, Mudye ndi James chitani manyazi komwe muliko. I blame us who clap hands to such rubbish. Palibe akukokomedza nkhani apa. The president stressed that he meant what he said and the press is only repeating what he said. Who should support such rubbish? Ifenso tili kunja and no one is asking us about what our headless chicken said. Kunja kwake muli inu ndikuti poti azungu amadya ngakhale manyi so they have no time to mock you about eating mice,rats,grasshoppers. Anzanu a kaliati tried to defend the president only for the president to prove her wrong. By God, if… Read more »
what do you expect from a President who has a brain of a mouse and an IQ of a grasshopper?
The article seeks to blame, period. I wait to c a time wn Malawi press wud look at and analyse issues and not pipo
Much us I appreciate the news that you provide, some issues are better not exposed to the outside world. Some of us who are outside home are getting embarrassing comments from what you analysts are writing and sometimes we ask ourselves whether you are patriotic to your country. Concentrate on building Malawi not pertinent issues like these. Wake up journalists from Malawi. Support your president whether he is in the wrong or right path and criticise where need be. Anthu aku achita kutifunsa kuti kwanu ati muzidya ziwala zoona???
kumangokokomezà zinthu basi mumatinyasa
You two guys are very stupid. I never expected such kind stupid senseless sentiments from a diplomat like you.
Why should a patriotic malawian support or smile at this senseless so called humor from the presdent? I guess you subscribe to dpp.
I agree with Angoni…these arguments here are so weak…Ati kumangokokomeza (Am ashamed of such comments)…furthermore what has being patriotic to one’s country have to do with observing facts. I recommend this journalist for calling a spade a spade. Solving problems in Malawi needs to start from the top, the leadership and if that is lacking, the pains trickle down to the rest of the communities and this is what is being expressed in this article. The current ‘Leadership’ is lacking in empathy among other things and they need to wake up to the realities confronting Malawians.
Ushi
Faustina ndi amene akuti mbudye you are stupid people which country are staying if you are really staying outside malawi have you ever heard president telling his people to eat mbewa while people are starving with hunger kapena iye president wakoyo waona kuti mbewa ziliko zambiri eti zauchitsiru basi ngati umadya za DPP usatopese athu more over Mr. Kasakula akunena zoona chipresident chikulukulu zaka 79 kumanena zopusa machende ake pitalayo and iwe mbudye tell your president kuti ndiopusa
Faustina
To them that’s politics. They think they are destroying APM when they are actually doing the opposite. People listened to what APM said and they know the context in which he made that statement. We don’t have to be lied to by the media about APM’s statements and it is annoying. These people are only succeeding in drawing more sympathies for Mutharika.