The Centre for Development of People (Cedep) and Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) have faulted government for what the two organisations term as dishonest and insensitive conduct on the health of President Peter Mutharika.
The remarks come hot on the heels of public observations that Mutharika’s was unable to use his right hand on arrival from a month-long stay in the United States of America where he went to attend the United Nations General Assembly (Unga).
A statement co-signed by the leaders of the two organisations Gift Trapance and Timothy Mtambo observes that government has been lying to Malawians that the President was enjoying “robust health” while in the US.
“We at CHRR and Cedep wish to remind the current government that it governs on trust as enshrined in Section 12 of the Constitution of Malawi. As such, Malawians expect nothing short of trustworthy information and conduct from government. The health of the President is of paramount public concern, as he is the leader for all Malawians. Malawians deserve to know the true health condition of their leader to derive confidence in the leader’s capacity to deliver on the country’s numerous challenges,” the statement reads.
The two further accuse those entrusted with information dissemination arguing they have portrayed a picture that the President is immortal.
“We all know that the President is not an immortalised figure. He is a human being who can fall ill like the rest of Malawians. As such, it is beneath the government machinery to hide the illness of the country’s leader. This culture of needless secrecy needs to stop. In light of the above, we at CHRR and Cedep call upon government to apologise to the Malawi nation for the lies it has been peddling on the whereabouts and health of the President since the United Nations General Assembly (Unga),” the statement reads.
Government has been inconsistent on the whereabouts and the health status of Muthariak as well as dates of his return to Malawi. At first, Information Minister, Malison Ndau, said the President would return over the weekend of October 8 to 9. When Mutharika failed to show up, Ndau said the State House told him that the President would return last Sunday. But Ndau released a statemenet accused Malawians of making “sickening” claims that the President was unwell. Democratic Progressive Party Regional Governor for the South, Charles Mchacha, also led his supporters in demonstrations to denounce Malawians for demanding information on the President’s health.
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