Govt trashes reports APM will appoint 2nd Veep

The Malawi Government has dismissed reports that President Peter Mutharika intends to pick a Second Vice President.

Recently, the media has been awash with reports that Mutharika will appoint United Democratic Front (UDF) leader Atupele Muluzi as Second Veep.

In a statement today, Minister of Information Kondwani Nankhumwa said these reports are not true.

He also dismissed reports that Mutharika will shake up the Cabinet.

“Government wishes to assure the people of Malawi that [Mutharika] does not have any intentions to appoint a Second Vice President of the Republic as some media reports continue to claim,” said Nankhumwa in the statement.

“It is also not true that His Excellency the President intends to reshuffle his Cabinet with the intention of creating space for the inclusion of a Second Vice President, or additional members which would make the size of cabinet to exceed the number of 20 which he promised the people of Malawi,” he added.

Government said Mutharika does not see the need for appointing a Second Vice President, nor does he see the reason for increasing the size of the Cabinet.

Government is appealling to individuals and institutions, including the Public Affairs Committee (PAC), which is the latest organisation to be associated with these rumours, to desist from making decisions or taking positions based on speculation.

“…the President remains committed and unflinchingly determined to avoid making decisions that have nothing beneficial to the people of Malawi,” the statement reads.

Meanwhile, Government has issued another statement disassociating itself from any comments, made or implied, allegedly on its behalf or on behalf of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP) that removes or relaxes what must be a clearly marked separation between State affairs and partisan functions of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).