‘What the hell do they want me to do?’ APM tears into Chakwera’s government

Advertisement
Malawi APM

…accuses his successor of being a photo-obsessed President

…calls on Chakwera to resign  

Malawi’s former President Peter Mutharika this afternoon went to town on his predecessor Lazarus Chakwera accusing him of failing the economy and the country. In a punch-and-punch press conference at his Page House in Mangochi, Mutharika accused Chakwera of being obsessed with photos while the country burns.

Ahead of addressing the press, Mutharika went off tangent to respond to critics of his press statement. Some quarters had questioned the essence of the presser challenging that Mutharika himself had failed in his time and therefore had anything to say. A visibly angry Mutharika wondered: ‘what the hell do these people want me to do? When I do not say a thing, they complain. I say something, they complain.”

Surrounded by some of his party stalwarts, Mutharika started by reporting that some of his colleagues were not at the presser because they have failed to secure fuel. Malawi currently is in the grip of a fuel shortage that has seen people spending nights on pumping stations as it is being rationed. 

Mutharika lamented the fuel station indicating that it is Chakwera’s incompetence and corrupt ways that has led to the crisis. 

“When my government was overthrown, we left 1 billion dollars in forex. That was an import cover of 6.1 months. Now, I hear there is only for 3 days. Where has the money gone?” wondered Mutharika.

He declared that as the situation is at the moment, the Malawi economy has collapsed. He cited the rising cost of living, the shortage of forex, the shortage of fuel and the shortage of medicines in hospitals as indication of a failed economy. 

“Instead, Lazarus Chakwera is taking 250 people on trips for photoshoot, he does not care about the country,” said Mutharika. 

Mutharika faulted Chakwera whom he said has taken 34 international trips in only 2 years since he came to power. Mutharika said that in his time he did not travel that much in all the 6 years that he was in power.

He also accused Chakwera of favouring people from his region only. Mutharika said that the MCP government is planning to rig the 2025 election by registering underaged people in Chakwera’s strongholds. He challenged Chakwera to equip the National Registration Bureau to do due registration in all regions of the country. 

Mutharika concluded his talk by urging Chakwera to resign for failing to solve the problems of Malawi. He said there should be instituted a caretaker government that should help organising elections within 2 years as Malawi cannot keep going under the current conditions. 

There is no reaction yet from the government on the accusations and demands by Mutharika. Malawi has been rocked by an economic downturn which has seen the shortage of most things with price increases on basic things.

Advertisement