APM fails To show up
Secrecy still surrounds the whereabouts and homecoming of President Peter Mutharika from the United States of America (USA) after he failed to land at the close of the weekend yesterday as earlier indicated by government.
Minister of Information and Communications Technology Malison Ndau, who is the official government spokesperson, yesterday confirmed that the President was yet to return home.
But the minister could not give his itinerary, saying he was yet to get the same from State House.
He said: “Up to now the State President is not yet in. Of course, I haven’t gotten any message, but I am expecting the State House to tell us his itinerary possibly by this evening [yesterday] so, tomorrow [today, Monday] that is when I might be able to say when exactly the President is coming.”
On Thursday, Ndau broke the silence on Mutharika’s homecoming when he told The Nation that the President was expected back home “any day over the weekend”.
The President has been abroad for 25 days now after he left on September 16 2016 to attend the 71st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA.
The general assembly ended on September 23, but for 17 days now, his date of arrival, specific location and the type of business he is undertaking remain top secret.
Late yesterday, State House director of communications Bright Molande and presidential press secretary Mgeme Kalirani did not pick up their phones.
Earlier, it was indicated that Mutharika would open the two-day second Malawi Investment Forum (MIF) which begins today at the Bingu International Convention Centre (Bicc) in Lilongwe.
In his statement at the UNGA on September 20, Mutharika also made an open invitation to the global community to patronise the annual investors’ conference to be held today and tomorrow.
But the Office of the Vice-President yesterday announced that the high-level business gathering would be officially opened by Veep Saulos Chilima.
“This is to inform you that Vice-President Dr Saulos Chilima will tomorrow, Monday October 10 2016 officially open the Malawi Investment Forum to be held at Bicc in Lilongwe. The veep will arrive at the venue at 9am,” press officer for the Vice-President, Pilirani Phiri, said in a notice to the media yesterday.
This is the second time the country is hosting such a high-level investment meeting which attracts a range of leading investors from across the globe.
The President left the country on a chartered plane to South Africa from where he connected to New York on a commercial flight.
Most members of his delegation already returned home and the silence from State House and government machinery has resulted in social media speculating that the President may have undergone an operation in USA and could not immediately return home as he was recuperating.
Some civil society organisations and social commentators have faulted government on the confidentiality of Mutharika’s business in USA and his arrival date, describing the development as one of the traits of poor governance.
For example, executive director of Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Timothy Mtambo wondered why the President and relevant authorities were hiding from Malawians.
But while admitting about the secrecy, Ndau dismissed the rumours that Mutharika was unwell, saying the Malawi leader was meeting well-wishers who he failed to meet during the UNGA. n
