Mutharika, opposition leaders hold talks

President Peter Mutharika yesterday held a working luncheon with opposition political party leaders who participated in the May 20 Tripartite Elections to discuss various issues affecting the country.

But conspicuously missing during the two and half hours meeting held at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre were Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera, former president and People’s Party (PP) leader Joyce Banda and James Nyondo of National Salvation Front (Nasaf).

Briefing the media after the luncheon, Mutharika said the meeting was a fulfillment of the promise he made during the presidential debate that once elected into government, he would invite all the aspiring candidates to discuss issues facing the country.

“We had a wonderful working luncheon discussing all sorts of aspects of issues from the electoral system and Cashgate to economic reforms and economic development,” said Mutharika.

Speaking on behalf of the presidential candidates, Peoples Transformation Party (Petra) president Kamuzu Chibambo said Mutharika was very open to ideas they presented to him.

“We assured him that in this country, its either we go forward together or we sink together. We talked about Cashgate to say that it is important that the law must take its course because the people of Malawi are anxious to know what happened and by who and what will happen once the due process of law has taken place,” said Chibambo. n