Stakeholders raise questions over Mutharika stay abroad
The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has demanded transparency and accountability regarding President Peter Mutharika’s extended private visit to South Africa, stating that citizens have a constitutional and moral right to know his status and how state resources are used.
PAC in the statement co-signed by vice chairperson Osman Karim and public secretary Bishop Gilford Matonga—argued that the government’s silence on the 86-year-old president’s prolonged absence is fueling public speculation and concerns about potential incapacitation.
Taxpayer Funding Concerns: PAC noted that describing the trip as “private” contradicts reports that it is being funded through taxpayers’ money, heightening the need for public accountability.
Leadership and Governance: The committee urged the First Vice President to step in and exercise executive duties in the president’s absence, criticizing what it views as the repeated sidelining of the office at national events. It also expressed support for a proposed Joint Parliamentary Committee to oversee accountability.
PAC clarified that it is not making a definitive judgment on the president’s health, but reiterated that Malawians deserve an official update.
President Mutharika left Malawi on October 6, 2026, marking his fifth private trip to South Africa since returning to office in October 2025.
Information Minister Shadric Namalomba and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) secretary-general Peter Mukhito have both denied that the absence has created a leadership vacuum or that the president is bedridden, insisting he remains in good health and is continuing to discharge his responsibilities.
The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and civil society groups have criticized the trip amid acute national challenges—including fuel shortages, power cuts, and a rising cost of living. Meanwhile, the Malawi Law Society noted that while the trip does not breach the letter of the Republican Constitution, state transparency should still be upheld.
