President of the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), Mark Katsonga-Phiri, on Tuesday said at least 14 opposition political parties, including the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), signed the letter which has been sent to Mutharika.
But in a separate interview on Wednesday, MCP spokesperson Nancy Tembo said MCP, which has the most MPs among opposition parties in Parliament, did not sign the letter.
Asked on the reasons and MCP’s position on the meeting, Tembo said she would have to consult first.
On the other hand, the two factions within the UDF differed on their position on the meeting, with general secretary Kennedy Makwangwala declaring that the UDF is not party to the letter and the meeting whereas the party’s first vice-president Humphrey Mvula confirmed the party has signed the letter.
The opposition political parties have written Mutharika requesting an audience to offer solutions to the social, economic and political challenges facing the country.
Katsonga-Phiri said the letter was sent after finalising the process of collecting the signatures from the 14 opposition political parties.
He could not say whether the letter was sent through the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) or directly to State House, saying he had to check with the PPM secretariat which dispatched the letter.
Katsonga-Phiri insisted MCP is one of the parties that have signed the letter.
During a news conference in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, on Monday, government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati said there is nothing yet from the opposition requesting a meeting with Mutharika.
Kaliati accused the opposition of only making such requests through the media.
The opposition resolved during an earlier impromptu meeting in Blantyre to meet Mutharika.
