The former president, Peter Mutharika says the current administration has lost trust of Malawians considering results of the recent Afrobarometer survey which rated the Tonse Alliance administration badly on numerous indicators.
Mutharika says Chakwera must resign immediately and in the there must be a caretaker government in the interim.
He said as DPP, they are ready to assist in the caretaker government as the party has experts in various sectors that can help the economy recover to benefit Malawians.
Mutharika says after the caretaker government, there must be elections within 90 days. He said if the current government does not resign, it will be a sign that Malawians’ welfare are not been put at heart.
Mutharika has stressed that there is need for a competent government to be put in place.
Former president Mutharika has attacked reports that President Chakwera has had to borrow forex from the banks to travel to US for the UNGA. However, Mutharika says, his main concern is that “the manager has left the country” in the middle of a crisis that requires leadership.
Mutharika says Malawi is failing to produce for export as a result of “incompetence of those involved in these areas”. Mutharika suggests that a review of monetary and fiscal policies could help bail out Malawi from the present economic situation.
Chakwera flown chartered
Mutharika alleges that president Chakwera has flown chartered to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly-UNGA at a time Malawi is in a forex crisis.
The former president says what is going on is evidence of a serious lack of governance strategy in the Tonse regime.
“There is a leadership problem in this country. Instead of solving problems, the president is globetrotting, contrary to what he pledged to Malawians,” says
Mutharika says a caretaker government of national unity should call for elections within 90 days.
Mutharika thinks government is buying fuel from sources when cheaper options exist.
He also says the confusion between Escom, Egenco and PML is scaring away investors as there is no assurance of sustainable availability of energy for production “in a country whose economy is on the death bed”.
Mutharika has taken a swipe at what he calls government overspending, including uncontrolled presidential travel. He says there is also need to manage foreign debt properly “which is not the case” resulting in the collapse of the economy.
He says the country’s future looks bleak with a looming hunger, job losses, rising insecurity, no fuel and more forex problems.
Mutharika says government does not appear to have a clue as to how to deal with emergent challenges of the past two years.
The former president thinks the solution to the problems at hand is for President Chakwera to step down and let an interim government of national unity.
“There is too much talk and little action,”he says.
Former president Peter Mutharika has begun his address to the nation of Malawi on his thoughts on the current economic and leadership environment.
Mutharika is speaking from his PAGE House residence in Mangochi. Mutharika has begun his speech with “I am vindicated after telling people to vote for DPP if they wanted progress and MCP if they did not”.
He says the Chakwera administration is insensitive to the plight of Malawians as shown by his departure for the US at a time “the country is in a crisis”.
“I ask him to return immediately,” Mutharika says accusing his successor of cancelling ECF and other programs begun by the DPP simply to score a political point.
Mutharika says governments are there to face and solve problems.
