Former President Peter Mutharika has claimed that his government had plans for further more groundbreaking projects that would have transformed Malawis infrastructure landscape. Mutharika was responding to questions from reporters during a news conference he held at his retirement home in Mangochi on Friday.
Mutharika however, had no kind words for the incumbent Dr Lazarus Chakwera saying he cannot rate the performance of President Chakwera because to him, nothing has been done apart from inspecting, opening and monitoring the projects initiated by the previous regime.
Asked how he would rate President Chakwera’s first 100 days in office, Mutharika said there was nothing much new his successor has done.
“I don’t see much has been done ; so far the President is inspecting my projects that I did,” said Mutharika.
He cited the Area 18 Interchange which his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) asked government the country to honour Mutharika by naming the interchange after him.
Mutharika also prided himself for initiating the Grand Business Park in Lilongwe, saying when completed, people will not be travelling to China to buy things as most of the materials will be found at the Park. “Malawi will be a hub of whole southern Africa region.,” he pointed out.
Mutharika also said Chakwera on Friday performed the official opening of the five -star Golden Peacock in Blantyre which was initiated during his tenure. “I am glad that the government has decided to adopt our projects and continue with them. They are continuing with our policies,” said Mutharika
“So, at the moment I can’t rate them because I have seen what they have done,” he added.
Mutharika said he embarked on a number of projects to develop the country and his role cannot go unappreciated. The former President said he had plans to construct a traffic interchange at Chichiri roundabout in Blantyre and a flyover from clocktower all the way to Mount Soche Hotel. He also said he had plans to construct a national airport in Mangochi
Asked if he has been in contact with President Chakwera and how was their relationship, Mutharika said he could not comment on that as a matter of “privacy”.
But said: “Later I will comment about it but now let me respect the privacy on that.”
Said Mutharika:“I don’t want to put obstacles in the way of the new president, I want to give him a chance to run this country. He won the elections to run this country and use his policies o for the benefit of this country.”
He added that being president is a difficult job because the president deals with a lot of people.
Mutharika nonetheless repeated his appeal to Malawian people to respect the presidency because it is a sacred office, heart and soul of the nation.
