Govt hiding the truth on Mutharika’s absence – PPM

Oct 15, 2016 Politics 251
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Malawi24
Peter Mutharika

The People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) has accused government of hiding the truth on President Peter Mutharika’s prolonged stay in the United States of America.

In a press release on Thursday,  the party which is led by Mark Katsonga described government’s lack of plausible explanation on Mutharika’s stay in the US  as demeaning and unacceptable adding that the conduct should not be condoned considering that the Democratic Progressive Party has a history of hiding the truth.

Peter Mutharika
Expected to come back tomorrow: Mutharika

“The DPP led government does not need to be reminded that it once shrouded the death of the late Bingu wa Mutharika in a veil of secrecy for a number of days. This was later discovered with awe that the party’s hiding of the truth was aimed at duping Malawians to endorse its treasonous motives,” PPM said.

The party also claimed that it does not view the prolonged stay as an issue in itself but feel it’s a clear symptom of a government in serious lack of planning.

“The government seems to work haphazardly on reasons stemming from gross negligence of duty, if not finding itself into a position of power by accident.

“The president’s continued sojourn abroad after the United Nations Annual General Assembly (UNGA) should have been anticipated long before his departure from Malawi,” reads part of the statement.

According to the party, the president could have publicized to the nation through relevant government structures in order to allow taxpayers to know and prepare for it.

“Any further explanation that may come now will be regarded as a play to fool Malawians on the actual reasons behind this uncalled for discrepancy. In fact any such explanation will be eclipsed by the defensive retorts which had earlier emanated from state quarters after Malawians from all walks of life started to exercise their right to demand an official explanation on the whereabouts of their leader,” PPM said.

On Tuesday government said Mutharika will come back home Sunday, a month after he left for the US where he also attended the UNGA. The president’s failure to return after the UNGA has led to speculations about his health which government has also dismissed.