READ STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON – DPP
JOURNALISM OF MALICE AND SLANDER BY MALAWI NEWS AND NYASATIMES
The Former President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika wishes to inform the public that he is extremely disappointed with hate journalism, politics of persecution and lies against his name recently propagated by Malawi News and Nyasa Times.
Malawi News published a story called “State House Paid APM Contractor K247m”. The same story was sent to Nyasa Times by the same authors in the title of “State House paid K247 million to contractor Bonongwe for Mutharika private residence”. Both stories desperately tried to create an impression that President Mutharika used State House funds in building his private residence when that is not the case.
In the Malawi News story, Contractor Bonongwe sufficiently explains that he was paid for several works he did for government and not privately for President Mutharika. These works are on record.
The contractor renovated Mtunthama State Residence to the condition that it is today for it to be occupiable by a Head of State. He also renovated Kamuzu Palace and constructed new offices as well as accommodation facilities for Sanjika Palace. These are all government properties that do not personally belong to the Former President.
Contrary to this truth and verifiable facts, Malawi News knowingly headed their story in a manner that suggests that Former President Mutharika used Bonongwe as a conduit to defraud Treasury through State House.
Nyasa Times went on to amplify the lies of Malawi News by creating imaginations of how the Former President got involved.
The Former President was never involved at any time in operational and contractual issues, let alone in matters of State House dealing with a contractor for the said the government projects. Besides, the construction of the President’s personal residence and the said government projects were and continue to be totally separate issues.
President Mutharika is loved by many Malawians and enjoys public respect as a man of high integrity. It is therefore unacceptable that someone must engage in an unreasonable campaign of hate to satisfy their malicious and evil desire to undermine President Mutharika’s integrity and good reputation. Above all, hate journalism and politics of persecution do not have a place in Malawi’s democracy.
The Former President refutes all allegations attempting to connect State House projects and his personal business in their entirety.
Issued By Honourable Brown J. Mpinganjira
( Democratic Progressive party Spokesperson)