Mutharika enjoying himself as Malawi crumbles, says BJ
Firebrand politician and former minister Brown Mpinganjira has criticised President Bingu wa Mutharika for taking holiday when the country is in the middle of the economic crisis.
President Mutharika left the country last month Australia where he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting but proceeded to holiday, the exact location which government is not disclosing.
Malawi is currently suffering from fuel shortage due to dollar shortage and there has been an upward increase of the commodity triggering price increases.
“Why is the President enjoying himself outside the country,” wondered Mpinganjira on Capital FM Daybreak Malawi programme on Capital FM monitored on Wednesday.
Mpinganjira who is treasurer general of People’s Party of Vice President Joyce Banda slammed the President of spending the much needed forex for a lavish holiday when he could have had a vacation locally.
“We are told he is spending millions of dollars enjoying himself on holiday. Surely one would expect that he would come back immediately,” said Mpinganjira.
“One worries for the poor of the country and even the middle class we are not going to survive,” he said in apparent reference to fuel and commodities price hike that would certainly trigger hyper- inflation.
“Holiday doesn’t mean outside Malawi alone. We have beautiful places in Malawi where he could go on holiday,” Mpinganjira pointed out.
Presidential spokesman Hetherwick Ntaba however trashed comments that the President was not supposed to take a holiday at a time when the country has been rocked by social and economic challenges like the shortage of fuel, saying that everywhere in the world there are problems and presidents of those countries go on holiday.
“Challenges come any time that is why after working tirelessly, the President though it wise to go for a holiday,” he said.
Ntaba further said Mutharika was still in control of the affairs of the country by roaming.
But Mpinganjira retorted: “If those in government don’t see what is going on now at a crisis then obviously we can understand why we are in this crisis.”
He added: “The future of Malawi is unsafe in the hands of these [Mutharika and DPP].”
Meanwhile, government insists Mutharika is robust health contrary to fevered speculations that he is hospitalised in China.
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