Over 16 key civil society organisations under the Civic and Political Space Platform (CPSP) have advised President Peter Mutharika to watch his tongue and control his emotions when addressing issues being raised by Malawians, arguing the attitude he displayed last week has potential to breed a dictator.
Mutharika, on October 8, held a press conference where he uttered words such as ‘stupid’, ‘nonsense’ and also banged a table while responding to growing criticism of his alleged bloated delegation to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) amid a crumbling economy.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, CPSP chairperson Moses Mkandawire said the President needs to watch his tongue and control his emotions to blend in Malawians’ sufferings.
Mkandawire said Mutharika’s attitude is only fueling anger and hopelessness among Malawians just like his brother the late Bingu wa Mutharika did. He said the country does not want to experience another July 20 2011 scenario when there are viable ways of addressing issues.
He said there are a number of presidents who have lived as models when their countries are going through economic challenges and he wondered what was wrong with Mutharika to follow the same path.
Mkandawire called on Mutharika to lead by example by cutting travel and other expenditures, saying going to a UN meeting with over 100 people and hiring a jet does not portray a president who should be a model among suffering Malawians.
“We are disappointed. We don’t want to go back to one-party State where the president was the country and the country was the president. It is not good for the President to shout at people who are suffering.
“Use of words such as nonsense or stupid are very unfortunate and they should not come from a leader,” said Mkandawire.
He accused government of being insensitive towards the suffering of Malawians, saying people are dying of hunger and lack of drugs.
“Such deaths could be avoided if government started caring and looked into solutions to the problems,” he said
According to Mkandawire, Malawians have the right to hold leaders accountable and demand their rights.
Special advisor to the President on non-governmental organisations and civil society, Mavuto Bamusi, said the CSOs were being childish by attacking Mutharika’s attitude. He said the CSOs should have established what led the President to be emotional.
“The President is ready to listen to people’s concerns, but not lies that the CSOs and other political parties were propagating.
“CSOs are being immature. They are taking a childish approach. CSOs in Malawi need to mature. Malawians were being fed with lies and the President could not tolerate that. The CSOs have to be responsible,” said Bamusi.
Bamusi also attacked Malawi Congress Party, saying it is making noise on the trip because it wants to gain political mileage.
MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila said it is obvious that Mutharika is not fit for presidency and there is nothing like MCP is trying to gain political mileage. She said Mutharika has shown he is not a listening President and is insensitive to their sufferings.
