Politician-cum-social commentator Humphrey Mvula says it is not true that he wrote the Indian Government in 2008 to stop decorating President Peter Mutharika with a jurist award.
Mvula was reacting to Mutharika’s accusation on Sunday on arrival from South Africa where he attended the Brics Summit that Mvula once tried to stop him from getting an award.
The President made the remarks as he rebuked leaders of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Timothy Mtambo and Gift Trapence for writing the Global Fund to rescind his appointment as Champion of the Fund’s Sixth Replenishment Campaign.
from Brics Summit in South Africa
Mvula denied the accusation, saying, Mutharika did not tell the nation the truth about the said Jurist award and the alleged letter which he is said to have authored.
He said: “It is very unfortunate that a President is able to say what is not true. I have never written a letter against him. After all, during that time, he was not President and all issues were being directed at his brother, the late Bingu wa Mutharika who was President of the country.
“I want to challenge the President to pull out that letter and show the country. I am thinking he is saying this out of pressure or that he has issues against individuals such as me. But I don’t have issues with him, except for those issues that Malawians are complaining about that life is not as good.”
Presidential spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani could not be reached for comment as he was reportedly in Pretoria, South Africa.
In a letter dated July 27 2018 to the fund’s executive director Peter Sands, the civil society organisations (CSOs) argue that Mutharika lacks the requisite moral standing to assume that role, more so a position that requires him to lead efforts in soliciting funding pledges.
In response, Mutharika rebuked the two leaders, saying they have done nothing for the country, apart from asking money from donors to attack government.
The President went further to provide an example that in 2008, Mvula and the late George Nga Mtafu did the same. He charged: “In 2008, I was selected the first African in the history of the world to receive the international Jurist Award, I was the first African! That group is based in London, but the Award was given in India by the Prime Minister and two Malawians, Mr. Humphrey Mvula and Mr, George Mtafu wrote to the Government of India that I should not receive the Award.
“They said I had been involved in oppressing human rights in this country. I think it is very, very sad for Malawians that we have reached this kind of level of hatefulness on no basis, trying to destroy each other for absolutely no reason whatsoever.”
