Opposition leader asks Malawi President to ‘gracefully’ leave office or be booted out
Leader of opposition Lazarus Chakwera has raised political tensions dramatically after calling for President Peter Mutharika leave office “gracefully” in the interest of the country or be removed by Malawians.
Chakwera, the president of the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), chose his moment after a Cabinet reshuffle to raise the stakes in his confrontation with the government with calls for Mutharika to resign before the next presidential poll, due May 21 2019.
He said in a statement made available to Nyasa Times that he has regularly addressed Malawians on the problems of the Mutharika administration for over four years, hoping that in doing so, the State President would heed counsel and, in the final analysis, use his office for sound servant leadership rather than abuse of power.
“But looking at Mutharika’s new Cabinet, it is clear not only that Mutharika is no longer listening to good and free counsel, but also that he has no single regard for Malawians, much less the willingness to listen to their plight and undo their perils,” said Chakwera.
Chakwera said the reorganised is a “shameful disgrace” and an unprecedented insult to all Malawians.
He described the President’s Cabinet as “divisive” and nepotistic.
He said: “You have now made it clear by the lopsided regional distribution of cabinet seats that you are a tribal President, not a national one.
“Besides, you clearly have no interest in appointing people on merit, leaving our nation groping in the darkness of mediocrity. “
He continued: “So, for the sake of all the tribes and regions of Malawi, I say shame on you.”
The MCP president also pointed out that the Cabinet has reduced women representation in the 20-member team from four to three, saying that is being “oppressive to our women of honour.”
Chakwera said the President has done that despite the fact that he is supposed to be a “HeforShe Champion” and a Law Professor who knows that the country’s laws require at least 40 percent of female representation in decision making.
“You are now thus a professor of law-breaking,” said Chakwera in his scathing statement.
The leader of apposition also faulted Mutharika for appointing overzealous ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regional governor for the South, Charles Mchacha, who has been infamous for slut-shaming women that have dissenting views with the DPP.
“You have even appointed to your cabinet someone who just recently publicly called Malawian women who support other parties by derogatory terms, as if to reward him for degrading our women of honour.
So for the sake of every Malawian woman and girl child, I say shame on you!”
Chakwera asked Mutharika to mark his words: “Your time of abusing Malawians is over.”
He asked Mutharika: “Now, you can either leave office gracefully and voluntarily or be removed by the Malawians who will boot you out of office for insulting them yet again with this cabinet.
“Either way, Mr President, you better put your house in order now, because your time is up!”
Speaking on Times Radio, MCP spokesman Reverend Maurice Munthali confirmed the statement was authentic coming from Chakwera and also maintained the tone, saying “it’s a shame.”
Minister of Information Henry Mussa said he will react to the statement after reading it.
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How many times has chakwera asked the president to step down for the past 12 months. In much as we know that the president has failed us in some areas, he has also done some thing in others. Chakwera too cannot helps us no wonder a good number of his followers are now UTM because alibe mfundo. Just look at the issues he is calling the president to resign of. Petty issues not worthy a president to resign. Should a whole president resign because there are no women in cabinet? This man is just power hungry, why continuing calling for president to resign if he hasn’t the previous times. Let try UTM.
But did you read your trash before you posted ?. are you sure Munthalika is doing any good to Malawians apart from his own tribe , Lohmwe tribe?. Munthalika is a failed president Malawi has never and will never have in future. take it or leave it.
Chakwera, you have been saying this from day one and APM is still there as a thorny president. Just work hard campaigning so you dethrone him in May 2019.
Mr Leader of opposition you have yet again displayed your devilish hunger for power. Prove to Malawians that your MCP NEC has the 40% women representation. Your NEC has more Lilongwe representation than any other district. If that is not nepotistic tell Malawians what it is. You insulted Malawian women of honour by appointing women in your NEC as mere NEC members thereby denying them decision making opportunity. You are up in arms against honourable member for Dedza East and also Kabwira by your mechanisation to rig primary elections in their constituencies as you did with Njobvuyalema.
If what you accused the State president, your boss, of are enough grounds to resign, when are you resigning yourself?
Your have been joining demonstrations fighting for same sex marriages together with Trapence and therefore your current ejaculations of nonsense is not surprising. Any seasoned politician would not call for anybody’s resignation when elections are around the corner. Such a call proves nothing but political amateurism.
oChakwera’s accusatory statements are simply out of order, personally disrespectful of the President and unbecoming of a leader of the opposition in Parliament.
If all oChakwera can do is pull the tribal card, he’s failing.
Malawians are interested in policies that make their lives better; and so far MCP has failed to advance significant plausible ideas.
MCP is now panicking, since Chilima appears to slice off a section of MCPers in the next elections. This degree of negativity won’t help MCP, even a bit.
There is no tribal favoritism what so ever in the new cabinet. As for regionalism, every governing Party will reward its supporters, appropriately. There is nothing but proportionality here.
Opposition Leader you’ve a legal instrument that u can use in November Parliament by woeing all upright members to boot out as u said our lost but found President.
kkkkkk wina akuva mpwelelele. abusa a mcaca ali kuti apempherere plesdent. wapombonezeka.
l
acewa amati wazhweta mutu bwana nkulu boma.
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk alamu mwakalamba
DPP your time is over . You have indeed taken people for granted.
Gustave and msowoya were power hungry leaders they removed themselves.Mufune musafune Chakwera akuwina 2019 muzakhumudwa,,,
chakwera MIA MSOWOYO
So does Chakwera have Speaker Msowoya and Gustav Kaliwo. How hypocritical of Chakwera.
When did Chakwera start respecting the laws. Has he not treated his Vice Richard Msowoya , his Secretary General Kaliwo fighting battles in court. Why did he started sidelining Msowoya and opting for Mia before convention, and further providing hard environment for the two. Does he think he is holly? Chakwera is power hungry, but it is the people who will decided through ballot box, not forcing the president out, otherwise that is inciting violence which is against the law. If he thinks the government can arrest him , he is wasting his time, better work hard. The Vice President claims he is in govt, but if he doesn’t meet with the president, or cabinet, how does he work., yet tikukweza Changa mumtengo. Why is Msowoya in UTM yet he was the running mate of Chakwera. Is he not who forced him to go there by mistreating him.?
A comment from a Mlakho cadet. This is what my secondary english teacher used to call lakeshore english (just enough chingerezi for a mzungu to understand eish, cadets.
Chakwera’s argument is pathetic. REALLY, instead of campaigning. Recent opinion polls have shown that MCP is falling short. Instead of campaigning you are asking Mutharika to leave office.
It’s indeed a shame that Mutharika a law professor has chosen to behave like an idiot
He has always behaved so. That is why his own beloved in-law decided to ask him to quit politics. He is increasingly becoming an embarrassment. Houses, offices, cars are being burnt, people are being beaten, he is degrading our Malawian women folk etc all because they don’t belong to DPP and all fingers are pointing to Mchacha and our president does not see anything wrong with that. Does this man surely have the same blood with Bingu? I have doubts.
This Green card guy failed miserably as a minister of Education i wonder why was he entrusted with the presidency.. This guy has proved to be a long time failure.
This MCP President amazes me. He always talk of the same thing… HE must step down, early elections, this that. Why not working on the ground and win come 2019?? My Reverend, work towards wooing supporters for a possible victory in 2019.
Yona mutu wako sukugwila ayi koma simadziwa kuti presdent ali ndi mphavu yochosa nduna kapena kuikanso nduna kapena ukutha wekha kusiyanitsa kuti kapena kuona kuti chilima adakali mboma mpakana contract yake itatha 2019 kapena suona
I a member of the opposition. However, when I read the statement, I dismissed it as a hoax and that it was not from Hon Chakwera. I am surprised that MCP has owned the statement.
Whilst the facts presented in the statement are correct, the language used is full of insults and is disrespectful. Surely the reverent-cum-politician could have used better and more dignified language to effectively deliver the same message .
I am sorry to say that the language belongs to the Mchachas of this world and not a presidential hopeful. Next time remove the frustrations and emotions from your statements, Hon Chakwera.
Mchacha mlomwe, mailosi mlomwe what a shame! amalawi let’s show them Malawi is for everyone kuchititsa manyazi peter after being in usa for so long u cant understand democracy u r out for sure
Rev. Chakwera, Chipani chanu chikutha mukuona. Bwanji osapanga zokonza chipani ?
Ochakwela tazingovalani nyau ku Malawi Crocodile Party -When Peter choose someone from your party you said no in his first cabinet
If we think that Peter will leave office without a fight then we don’t know who he is. Peter has sorrounded himself with hooligans who are busy advising to fight the rough fight to cling to office. He is will willing to break laws that he himself has assisted in enacting to remain in power. He literally has to be booted out otherwise we are stuck with until he dies. The ballot box isnt enough to get rid of him as he will contionously cheat or challenge the count. He will go to war to cling to state house.
Dzikoli silanu lokha alhomwe osawanvera chisoni abale anu akugonera nandolowo bwanji?
Chakwera fears if APM is allowed to stand in 2019 elections, the opposition stands no chance. He is now hatching plans to have him barred from contesting. Will he succeed?
Iyi ndiye mbuzi ya president.meeeeeeeeeee !
Professor of law-breaking, prince of thieves lol this man though….kikikikikikikik The republic of Apumbwa & The innocent ones