Malawi’s opposition has called for an explanation of why President Peter Mutharika has remained in South Africa for so long, at a time when the country is contending with fuel shortages, power cuts and wider economic strain.
The 86-year-old left Malawi on 6 October for what officials described as a private visit. It is his fifth trip to South Africa this year, and little information has been released about any of them.
Opposition questions who is running Malawi
The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) said the country had reached a turning point. “Malawi is at a critical moment, and there is a need for decisive action,” the party said.
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On Thursday, MCP campaign director Moses Kunkuyu told reporters in the capital, Lilongwe, that his party was not disputing the president’s right to travel for personal reasons. Instead, it wants Vice-President Jane Ansah to address the nation about the country’s mounting problems. He said citizens deserved to know who was handling state affairs.
“The issue is not that the president has traveled,” he said. “The issue is that people are suffering and want reassurance that somebody is in charge.”
Kunkuyu urged the government to set out how it intends to tackle recurring fuel shortages, frequent blackouts, a lack of essential medicines in public hospitals and difficulty obtaining foreign currency.
Government insists the president is in control
Information Minister Shadric Namalomba has denied that Mutharika’s absence has created a leadership vacuum. Speaking to local media, he said “a state president is always in charge at any time, anywhere,” and maintained that the president was firmly in control of government affairs.
Asked about the purpose of the trip, the minister replied: “A private trip is private.” He also accused the opposition of trying to exploit problems that he said had emerged under its own previous administration, and told its members to hold their tongues while the government works on them.
Mutharika returned to office in October last year after defeating then-president Lazarus Chakwera. He had previously governed Malawi between 2014 and 2020. His latest absence has come amid growing public scrutiny of his frequent visits to South Africa.
Health rumours and regional summit representation
Earlier this month, officials dismissed social media reports claiming Mutharika had travelled from South Africa to India for medical treatment. Chief Secretary to the Government Justin Saidi said the president was still in South Africa and urged the public not to circulate unverified information.
Mutharika has previously dismissed speculation about his health as “silly and laughable”, insisting that he is well. On Thursday, he assigned the trade minister to lead Malawi’s delegation to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) summit in Zimbabwe.
The economic pressure is clear. Scarce foreign currency has disrupted fuel imports and pushed up transport costs, while motorists queue for long periods at filling stations. Unreliable power supplies and medicine shortages have added to public anger.
