Mutharika warned opposition parties that he will deal with them for cheating voters to surrender their registration cards, an allegation MCP and UDF described as outrageous. On its part, the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) said it is not aware of such reports.
I know the UDF and MCP have been going around asking you to surrender your cards or that they should buy them. That is rigging. If someone approaches you, please report them and I will deal with them, said Mutharika without specifying any place where this has been reported. He repeated the same message in Balaka, Liwonde and Zomba.
Asked to clarify on whether or not government has proof that opposition parties are buying voter registration cards, Deputy Information Minister John Bande asked for more time. He later referred the question to State House whose spokesperson Chikumbutso Mtumodzi said he had no comment and that the President had spoken.
In Zomba, Mutharika also promised replacements of certificates for those that have sold their documents, warning the two opposition parties that he will arrest any perpetrators once reported.
I am asking Undule Mwakasungura who claims to be a human rights activist, donors, NGOs to take note and act. I want everyone to know the two [parties] have already started rigging the elections, claimed Mutharika.
UDF deputy secretary-general Hophmally Makande argued the allegations are a sign that Mutharika has lost trust in Mec's abilities to monitor the elections.
Asked Makande: Is he trying to say the system is porous and that even if we do vote twice, Mec will not be able to control it?
MCP parliamentary spokesperson Ishmael Chafukira cautioned the President not to raise unnecessary tensions.
That is very outrageous coming from the President. It is not good for him to raise tensions when we are heading for an election. Let him produce empirical evidence than making wild allegations. DPP, as he says, has more money, let him buy more [voter certificates], said Chafukira.
Mec spokesperson Fegus Lipenga said Mutharika might have been civic educating the people against such malpractice, but the commission has not yet received any report on the alleged purchases.
It is very important that all parties should sensitise their supporters. If that was said in the context of warning the voters, it is the correct message. Nobody is supposed to tamper with the voters card, it is an offence, said Lipenga.
And responding to Muluzi's Tuesday challenge to a public debate on the economy, Mutharika said he needs clarification on the status of the former head of State as there has never been a debate globally between a former and a sitting president or between a candidate and a chairman of a party.
Mutharika also said he has no grudges against Muluzi, but accused him being a problem for wanting to be a life president.
On food shortage in Balaka, Mutharika claimed the opposition is orchestrating reports in the media, hoarding maize and sending people to buy all stocks at Admarc depotsâ€â€a sharp contradiction to remarks made by Traditional Authority Msamala.
Bwana, people are sleeping at Admarc, the stocks that are coming here are not large. People sometimes have money but no food. Some do not have businesses and they are struggling to find food, said Msamala before Mutharika spoke.
Some opposition parties on Wednesday described Mutharika's trip as campaign tours while the President yesterday said he was on his way to his party's convention slated for next weekend.
– The NationÂ
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