President Lazarus Chakwera is set to attend the inauguration of President-elect Peter Mutharika and Vice-President-elect Jane Ansah at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre this Saturday.
Ministry of Information and Digitilisation Principal Secretary Baldwin Chiyamwaka said in an interview yesterday that Vice-President Michael Usi will also attend the ceremony.
Meanwhile, in a statement earlier yesterday, Chiyamwaka said government has sent invitations to national dignitaries from the public and private sectors, religious groups, civil society as well as cultural heritage groups.
He said Capital Hill has also invited Heads of State and Government from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region, Kenya representing the East African Community and Sierra Leone representing the Economic Community of West African States.
Additional invitations have been extended to heads of secretariats of Sadc, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, African Union Commission and United Nations.
“Heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Malawi on a residential and non-residential basis as well as heads of accredited international organisations will also grace the auspicious occasion,” he said.
“The key highlights of the ceremony will be twofold. One, the swearing-in of the President-elect and Vice-President-elect by Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda.
“Second, the inauguration of the seventh President of the Republic of Malawi, which will be symbolised by presentation of symbols of office, military honours, performances and inaugural address,” said Chiyamwaka.
On Monday, Judiciary spokesperson Ruth Mputeni said preparations were underway to ensure that the constitutional function is conducted with the dignity it deserves.
Since the first post-independence inauguration in 1994, Chakwera will only be the second outgoing president in Malawi to formally hand over power to his successor after an election.
In 1994, founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda did not hand over the sword of command to his successor, Bakili Muluzi, the country’s first multi-party president.
However, Muluzi, who governed for two terms from 1994 to 2004, handed over power to Bingu wa Mutharika in 2004.
