Now Mutharika declares war on critics

Mallick Mnela
Correspondent | Thursday September 1, 2011 00:00

The Malawians leader has been accusing his opponents, alleging they want to topple his regime using unorthodox means, referring to what is happening in the Arab world.

Speaking at the official launch of the 8th National Agriculture Fair in Blantyre recently, President Mutharika unleashed a fresh threat as the United Nations (UN) coordinated talks were in progress in Malawi's capital Lilongwe.

'I have heard enough of your criticism. I have commissioned a presidential committee on dialogue to address the political impasse yet you continue undermining my reign. I have had enough. Let me warn you; I will arrest you. If you are ready, we can even go to war,' president Mutharika said amid ululation from his supporters.

President Mutharika's warning comes a day after the Japanese ambassador to Malawi Fujio Samukawa urged him to engage in dialogue with opposition parties and civil society organisations.

'There should be dialogue so that all problems should be concluded amicably,' Samukawa urged Mutharika at a luncheon held in commemoration of 40th anniversary of the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers in Malawi.

Meanwhile, a person close to the talks fears the president's remarks could lead to the collapse of the UN talks.Ironically, the Malawian leader has been criticised for threatening his critics with arrests.

Last month, he threatened his opponents that he would 'smoke them out' for staging nation-wide mass demonstrations that saw 19 people killed, allegedly, by police.

'Declaring war whilst negotiations are on-going is a bad sign. I strongly believe parties to the talks will not take this lightly. They are likely to condemn it or at worst, they could abort the talks,' says Noel Mbowera, a political analyst based at Mzuzu University in Northern Malawi.

An opposition party leader, Kamuzu Chibambo faulted Mutharika, saying his remarks threatening opponents only confirms their assertions that he has grown into a dictator.

'Our leader shouldn't steep so low. Firstly, it only shows how insecure he feels and secondly, how intolerant he is to dissenting opinion, a sign of declining democracy. How can a leader threaten his own people with war?' the lawyer-cum-politician asked.

At the same event, the Malawian leader lashed out at the head of the Catholic Church Dr Bishop Joseph Mukasa Zuza for a sermon he held in Mutharika's presence a couple of weeks back.

'Just the other day in that hall, one person accused me of being insane. Can a president tolerate that?' Mutharika asked, making reference to Bishop Zuza's sermon.

In his sermon, the bishop had said, without mentioning the president's name: 'My dear brothers and sisters, the person who thinks and believes that he or she is perfect is actually the most stupid and foolish person. In Chichewa and Tumbuka we call such people as 'chitsiru chamunthu,' (a veritable idiot) or 'chindere chakufikapo.' Do we want to be called 'chitsiru' or 'chindere' because we think and believe we're perfect and therefore we have all the best solutions for the storm that is passing through our country? Fellow Malawians, let us not become stupid people,' Zuza said.

Mutharika has, of late, been criticised for failing to maintain relations with his critics- locally and internationally.

Several donor countries including Britain, United State of America (US) and others have pulled out or withheld their aid, citing Mutharika's intolerant attitude to opposing views.

Previously, 60 percent of the country's budget came from foreign donors.

As a result, the country has adopted a zero-deficit budget system whereby government now relies on locally raised funds.

To keep in line with the country's resource demands, government has increased the tax blanket to include even basic commodities which has ignited regular protests across Malawi.

(Sila Press Agency)