Gallery: President Mutharika returns from infamous private trip

President Peter Mutharika has today returned to the country after spending three weeks in South Africa on what State House described as a private visit.

Mutharika, who left Malawi on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, landed at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe.

The President was accompanied by First Lady Gertrude Mutharika.The trip marks Mutharika’s fifth private visit to South Africa in 2026, bringing his cumulative days abroad this year to over 72 days.

His previous trips were recorded in December 2025, March, June and August 2026.

The extended stay sparked widespread speculation on social media, with unverified claims that the 86-year-old President was critically ill and seeking medical attention.

Government officials have dismissed the rumours.

Information Minister Shadric Namalomba, Chief Secretary Justin Saidi and DPP Secretary General Peter Mukhito all insisted that the President remains fit and continues to discharge his constitutional duties while away.

The frequency of the private trips has, however, drawn scrutiny from civil society organisations and the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), who are demanding transparency on who is financing the chartered flights and accommodation.

The demands come at a time when the country is grappling with a fuel crisis, acute foreign currency shortages and a rising cost of living.