Immediate past president Peter Mutharika yesterday stayed away from a meeting President Lazarus Chakwera called to strategise with his predecessors for the recovery path from Tropical Cyclone Freddy damage.

During the meeting held at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre and attended by former presidents Bakili Muluzi and Joyce Banda, the duo accepted Chakwera’s proposal for them to take up ambassadorial roles to drum up support.

Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda yesterday refused to explain the reasons Mutharika gave for his absence, saying: “The former president is better placed to respond.”

On the other hand, Mutharika’s spokesperson Shadric Namalomba did not respond to questions sent to him via WhatsApp by press time at 10pm.

But in separate interviews yesterday, both Muluzi and Banda, also known by her initials JB, said they have accepted the role and will help in mobilising resources for the affected people and the nation at large.

Chakwera holds hands of Banda (R) and Muluzi to symbolise unity

Muluzi said he will personally lobby for total cancellation of Malawi’s foreign debt to give the country breathing space as the cyclone has devastated the economy.

He said: “The impact is so huge and Malawi’s requirements are enormous. Having listened to the President and seen the devastation the cyclone has caused and looking at our national budget, the best solution is total cancellation of Malawi’s debts and I want to be in a league of those that will be championing this.

“We will speak with the international community so that they look at Malawi pathetically.”

Malawi is grappling with high public debt which as at end September 2022 stood at K7.3 trillion, up from K6.38 trillion in March 2022, representing an increase of 14 percent. External debt accounted for 45 percent or K3.3 trillion while domestic was 55 percent or K4 trillion of the total debt.

As a percentage of gross domestic product, the total debt in nominal terms stands at 64 percent.

However,  by the end of this financial year on March 31, Treasury will have paid K33 billion in interest on foreign loans and K612 billion as interest on domestic debt.

In February this year, International Monetary Fund said Malawi alongside 35 other least-developed countries are eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, a development analysts say provides hope for the economy.

In an update on debt relief under the Hipc initiative, the global lender said  participation of creditors in the initiative is voluntary; hence, the IMF and the World Bank will continue to encourage them to participate and deliver their share of debt relief.

Muluzi, the country’s first multiparty president under the banner of United Democratic Front, commended Chakwera for arranging the meeting, saying as former presidents they have vast experience and need to share information and experience.

He further called on those living in disaster prone areas to listen to government’s guidance and move out of such places.

Banda, on the other hand, said she will take a greater part in rebuilding the country, especially homes for the affected people.

She said: “Since the tragedy I have been doing my part distributing relief items to survivors. This is a very big tragedy and everybody must take part.

“There is a need to provide continuous relief to the survivors for at least three months, promote winter cropping as well as reconstruction for Malawi especially on the damaged infrastructure.

Chakwera said the meeting, which was part of the ‘Tigwirane Manja’ campaign he launched last week in response to the disaster, was aimed at updating the former presidents regarding the effects of Cyclone Freddy.

He reiterated his appeal to Malawians to set aside politics and instead hold hands during this calamity.

Posting in Twitter after the meeting, the President said: “I am honoured to receive such support from the two states persons.”

Reacting to Mutharika’s absence, Lilongwe-based governance and political pundit George Chaima said it appeared he  continues to live in denial, arguing the former president was failing to come to terms with the fact that he lost the presidency in the court-sanctioned fresh presidential election on June 23 2020.

He said: “Chakwera wanted to brief his seniors on Cyclone Freddy, but also solicit wisdom because he respects them. This is a missed opportunity for Mutharika and I feel sorry for him because he chooses to live in a different world than where all Malawians live.

After the Sanjika meeting, Chakwera travelled to Bangula in Nsanje District where has assured people at Bangula Evacuation Camp that government will support them with food relief to ensure that no Cyclone Freddy survivor will die of hunger.

As of Wednesday, Cyclone Freddy death toll stood at 511 with 1 332 injuries and 537 persons  missing. About 562 415 have been displaced.

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