APM says will contest in 2025
Former president Peter Mutharika says he will give a go at the presidency in the 2025 General Elections to address economic challenges the country is facing under his successor President Lazarus Chakwera.
Mutharika, who is opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president, said since he was voted out in the court-sanctioned fresh presidential election in June 2020, most Malawians have become poor due to continued rising prices of goods and services in the country.
He declared his interest to bounce back during the Mulhako wa Alhomwe cultural celebrations at Chonde in Mulanje yesterday.
Mutharika also condemned the relocation of headquarters of some government ministries, departments and agencies from Blantyre to Lilongwe, alleging that the Tonse Alliance administration wants to take away all the economic activities from South to the Central Region to empoverish residents in the region.
He said: “But let me tell you this, when I come back as President in 2025, all those that have been stolen from Southern Region to Central Region, I will bring them back.
“We are only remaining with two years for the poverty and all the challenges people are currently experiencing to come to an end.
“The problem with Malawians, is that you don’t listen. Remember, during the 2020 campaign I told you if you vote for us, you will vote for development while others it’s poverty.”
Mutharika further claimed that there are no differences in DPP, saying all the party members agreed to have one candidate who will contest in the 2025 elections.
His declaration comes about three months after some DPP members endorsed him to be the party’s torchbearer in 2025.
Mutharika’s endorsement at Page House in Mangochi was moved by DPP regional governor for the North Christopher Mzomera Ngwira and seconded by Blantyre City Central legislator Chipiliro Mpinganjira.
But some DPP members, including Kondwani Nankhumwa, who is also the party’s vice president for the South, have been challenging the endorsement, saying the party’s torchbearer will be elected at its conversion.
During the cultural festival, Mutharika further condemned the tendency by some politicians who force traditional leaders to dance to political songs during political rallies.
In an interview on the sidelines of the celebrations, Senior Chief Kaduya of Phalombe, who is also Lhomwe acting Paramount Chief, expressed worry that some politicians use traditional leaders to achieve their political agendas.
She pleaded with politicians to stop using traditional leaders.
“My appeal to political party leaders is that they should learn to respect traditional leaders,” said Kaduya.
Mulhako wa Alhomwe Cultural celebrations is an annual event which aims at uniting Lhomwes and preserve their culture
