APM fit to contest in 2019—State House

President Peter Mutharika is healthy and fit to contest in the 2019 Tripartite Elections as presidential candidate for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The State House said this in reaction to former first lady Callista Mutharika’s sentiments that her in-law, Peter Mutharika, in his 80s, is old and that the DPP should put Vice-President Saulos Chilima as its torch-bearer.

Presidential press officer and spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani yesterday said the State House was not sure about the context in which Callista was coming out with her sentiments and that they would not react to the political opinions she had made.

He said State House had taken note of the “unkind descriptions” that the former first lady, who is widow of DPP founding president and former head of State Bingu wa Mutharika, has been making about the President and found them inappropriate.

Said Kalilani: “As far as we are concerned, President Mutharika is of sound health and he has no issues. He is in office all the time working late hours and he has not complained about anything. So, there are no questions about his health.”

He said being a sister-in-law to the President and presidential adviser on safe motherhood, Callista has at her disposal many avenues to address any issues she might have with the President, either personal or professional.

“Suffice to say, we expect her to sober up a bit and reflect on what she is saying. There is a relationship [between Callista and the President] that goes beyond politics,” Kalilani said.

However, he declined to comment on the former first lady’s remarks in an interview with Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) that Mutharika was surrounded by beasts who were messing up his administration.

Said Kalilani: “When she chooses to be personal, we don’t find it appropriate that she goes into the public to start describing her in-law in the manner she has done.”

Yesterday, Callista declined to comment on the State House sentiments, saying she would react at another time.

The former first lady dropped a bombshell last week when she threw her weight behind Chilima as DPP presidential candidate in next year’s elections. She described Chilima as the hope for a better Malawi and his youthfulness could steer the country in a better direction.

In the ZBS interview, Callista said Mutharika would turn 80 next year when the nation will be going to the polls and that the President would be “too old” to carry on as he would be 84 or 85 at the time of leaving office. She argued that it is normal that thinking capacity levels deteriorate as one gets older. n