In a notable twist of events, JB, the Malawian-American hip-hop artist and social media influencer, has endorsed Peter Mutharika after recently raising and donating around 20 million Kwacha to hunger-affected families in Malawi. He encourages his Malawian followers to vote for Mutharika in the upcoming general elections on September 16.
Born Alberto Fernando Zacarias, JB posted a photo of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) torchbearer on his Facebook on Friday with the caption, “Vote for Peter Mutharika for President.”
The post garnered extraordinary attention, boasting about 25,000 “likes,” more than 8,500 comments, and 139 shares within a span of 24 hours.
His comment section went crazy, sparking a firestorm of differing opinions.
Richard George Chinjiko commented briefly in support of JB, saying, “The right candidate, more fire.”
In contrast, Chicco Mwale expressed his views by stating, “I can’t vote for Peter; it’s better to vote for Kabambe. That’s the only option we have now.”
The mixed reactions continued, with many voicing concerns about Mutharika’s age of 86 as he seeks re-election.
“This is our dad. He is old now and can’t run for 90 minutes on the field. He should rest by now. This is a new generation; the old generation is fading away. Let’s try for a new leader from our generation,” Shamie A. Sabe remarked.
On the other hand, JB, who enjoys a large youthful fanbase, rejected these assertions about Mutharika’s incapacity due to his old age in a later Facebook post.
“They are saying Mutharika is old, but what has Chakwera, who has youthful attributes, achieved in five years?” JB asked, likening the situation to choosing between a rock and a hard place.
The 42-year-old rapper further argued that even if Mutharika requires a stretcher for mobility, they should still cast their votes for him.
