Peter Mutharika postpones meeting Pac
President Peter Mutharika will not meet the Public Affairs Committee (Pac), today, to get resolutions of Pac’s 5th All- Inclusive-stakeholders’ meeting that took place in Blantyre on February 17 and 18.
Pac Executive Director, Robert Phiri, confirmed that government has failed to sanction today’s meeting shifting it to a date “in the near future”.
“We had been waiting [to hear] from government only to be told they have shifted the date from the 29th [March] to a day they will communicate to us. We made the proposal to have an audience with the President and his officials early this month,” Phiri said.
Phiri was responding to a follow-up by The Daily Times on the certainty of the much anticipated meeting.
In separate interviews yesterday, government spokesperson, Jappie Mhango, said the President’s schedule determines the number of meetings to be accommodated at a particular time or not.
Mhango described March 29 as just a proposed date and not a day that the meeting was scheduled to take place.
“The meeting was proposed for tomorrow [today], 29 March and not scheduled but there was a clash of programmes on the same day and Pac was communicated to. The meeting will be held as soon as possible. The H.E [His Excellency] is also looking forward to that meeting so that he can listen to them,” Mhango said.
Pac presented resolutions to the recommendations that delegates made during the economic and political direction conference but resisted calls for the resignation of the President.
During the resolution presentation, Pac Chairperson Felix Chingota, who acknowledged the emotional pain and frustrations expressed in the demand, was quick to say leaders rule based on trust bestowed upon them and if the trust continues to be eroded by government’s action or omission, Malawians may withdraw it.
“We, therefore, urge the government to seriously take note of the pain and frustrations of Malawians to seriously consider the proposal made by the delegates to the 5th All- Inclusive- Stakeholders conference as honest recommendations by representatives of Malawian society,” Chingota said.
He said government and the leadership must deliver on their election promises now given that during 2014 elections they pledged to Malawians that they had leadership skills, vision and solutions to the economy.
“This must be done now rather than later. The government should take leadership. The fact that they seek solutions from Malawians should not absolve them of their responsibility. Malawians expect results based on pledges on their leadership skills,” he said.
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