President Joyce Banda gets opposition backing
Opposition leaders in Malawi have given full weight to the presidency of Madam Joyce Banda to carry out her constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the security forces, including leading the nation in mourning the late Bingu wa Mutharika.
Addressing journalists in Blantyre on Saturday, leaders of the ‘Grand Coalition for Democracy’ said that Her Excellency Banda be sworn in so that she can commence her role as Head of State.
“Joyce Banda must be sworn in immediately; it is long overdue. He should have been sworn in the same day Mutharika died,” said Chair of the coalition for the month of April, PETRA President Kamuzu Chibambo.
Veteran politician and leader of the New Republican Party (NRP), Gwanda Chakuamba demanded that Banda be sworn in “before lunch or before the four o’clock tea”.
- Opposiiton leaders waiting for President Joyce Banda
Chinkhokwe Banda, representing the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), said as a coalition they were happy the Vice President would take over the reigns of power because the VP’s People’s Party is also party to the grand coalition.
On the future of the coalition in the light of the death of President Mutharika, the leaders said they would continue “cooperating” as their agenda was not solely to dislodge Mutharika or government.
“As a nation, we are facing a myriad of social, economic and political problems and we think that being together, we should be able to contribute to the reversing of the situation,” said Sam Mpasu of the former governing United democratic Front (UDF).
