Chakwera, others absent

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera, runner-up in the presidential race, and seven others shunned the inauguration ceremony of President Peter Mutharika in Blantyre on Monday.

Atupele Muluzi of United Democratic Front (UDF), who finished fourth, Helen Singh of United Independence Party (UIP) and Friday Jumbe of the National Labour Party (NLP) were the only three hopefuls that attended the event where former president Joyce Banda of People’s Party (PP) was also conspicuously missing.

But MCP secretary general Gustav Kaliwo said his boss, Chakwera, was not invited.

He said: “The [MCP] president was not invited that is why he did not attend the ceremony. I am the secretary general of the party and if he were invited, I would have known unless he was invited in his personal capacity.”

People’s Transformation (Petra) president Kamuzu Chibambo also said he was not invited to the function.

He noted that the function was a national event; hence, he could have attended if he were invited.

However, former president Bakili Muluzi graced the occasion. Also in attendance were former vice-presidents Justin Malewezi and Khumbo Kachali.

Some chiefs from the Northern Region such as Senior Chief Mtwalo and Inkosi Kampingo Sibande also attended the occasion.

Moderator of Livingstonia CCAP Synod the Reverend Timothy Nyasulu, former general secretary of the synod the Reverend Howard Matiya Nkhoma and Archbishop Thomas Msusa of the Blantyre Archdiocese of the Catholic Church were some of the prominent figures in attendance.