President Mutharika breaks cover to praise business chiefs at Kamuzu Palace

In a rare sighting, President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika — who has largely vanished from public view in recent times — emerged on Friday to heap praise on the relationship between government and the private sector, declaring it holds the key to unlocking the nation’s development.

The President made the comments during a meeting with the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, marking one of his few public engagements of late.

Mutharika told business leaders that government has maintained a close working relationship with the MCCCI, and called for that partnership to deepen further, particularly around critical initiatives including the response to El Niño, trade expansion and other pressing economic priorities.

MCCCI President Ronald Ngwira thanked the President for the audience, and used the meeting to pledge the business community’s backing in tackling the fallout from El Niño and driving forward trade growth.