PAC dates Mutharika over presidential powers, national issues

Quasi religious body, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) says it is seeking an audience with President Peter Mutharika to discuss possibility of reduction of presidential powers among other key issues.

PAC spokesman Father Peter Mlomole said the audience has since been granted and PAC officials are expected to meet the President in April.

Asked if PAC would raise the issue of presidential powers, Mlomole said he was surprised that Mutharika told a rally he was set to veto any bill aimed at reducing his presidential powers.

“I take it as a podium talk. My understanding is that this government is doing all it can to reduce presidential powers. The vice president the Right Honourable Saulos Chilima is the champion of public reforms sector which has the reduction of presidential powers as one of its key agendas,” said Mlomole.

Speaking to ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters on Saturday in Lilongwe during the launch of Dae Yang Teaching University, Mutharika swore and vowed to veto any bill aimed at reducing his vast and overlapping presidential powers.

Mlomole said he was confident the president did not mean the podium talk saying Mutharika knows very well the importance of reducing his powers.

“Am sure this was mere podium talk, he was just politicking he did not mean it,” he said.

There have been concerns that the President has excess powers that include the appointment of statutory corporations that include of tax payers funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation that has now compromised its public broadcaster status as it is more of the ruling party propaganda machine than a public broadcaster.