Malawi opposition demands answers over president's prolonged stay abroad

As the country struggles with fuel shortages, power cuts and economic difficulties, malawi's opposition has demanded an explanation for President Peter Mutharika's prolonged stay in South Africa.

Key points

• On Thursday, Mutharika delegated the trade minister to lead Malawi's delegation to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) summit in Zimbabwe.
• The 86-year-old Mutharika left Malawi on 6 October, for what authorities described as a private visit.
• Chief Secretary to the Administration Justin Saidi stated the president remained in South Africa and pressed the public not to spread unverified information.
• Information Minister Shadric Namalomba has denied that Mutharika's absence had created a leadership vacuum.
• Earlier this month, authorities dismissed reports on social media that Mutharika had travelled from South Africa to India for medical treatment.

For context, the 86-year-old Mutharika left Malawi on 6 October, for what authorities described as a private visit. This is his fifth visit this year, with limited information created public on each of these trips.

"Malawi is at a critical moment, and there is a need for decisive action, " the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) remarked.

Information Minister Shadric Namalomba has denied that Mutharika's absence had created a leadership vacuum. The professor who beat fraud allegations to become Malawi's president.again.

Mutharika returned to power in October last year after defeating then-president Lazarus Chakwera. He previously governed Malawi between 2014 and 2020.

His latest absence comes against the backdrop of growing public scrutiny of his frequent visits to South Africa.

On Thursday, MCP campaign director Moses Kunkuyu informed journalists in the capital, Lilongwe, that the opposition was not questioning the president's right to travel for personal reasons but wanted Vice-President Jane Ansah to address the nation over the country's mounting challenges.

He remarked that Malawians deserved to know who was managing the country's affairs.

"The issue is not that the president has traveled, " he remarked. "The issue is that people are suffering and want reassurance that somebody is in charge."

He called on the administration to explain how it intended to address persistent fuel shortages, frequent electricity blackouts, shortage of essential medicines in public hospitals and difficulties accessing foreign currency.

Notably, the information minister responded by telling local media that "a state president is always in charge at any time, anywhere, " insisting that the president remained firmly in control of administration affairs.

Asked regarding the purpose of the visit, the minister stated: "A private trip is private."

He accused the opposition of attempting to exploit challenges he stated had developed under its previous administration.

"That is why Malawians voted us into administration, not them. May I request them to seal their mouths as we address the challenges they miserably created and failed to solve, " he went on.

Mutharika has previously dismissed speculation regarding his health, describing such claims as "silly and laughable" and insisting that he was well.

Malawi faces a severe shortage of foreign currency. It has disrupted fuel imports and contributed to rising transport costs.

While unreliable electricity supplies and shortages of medicines have continued to public frustration, long queues have formed at petrol stations. More regarding Malawi from the BBC.

'I adore her now': Mother learns to live with child's autism in a country with little support. Banana wine brings sweet taste of success to Malawi farmers. Malawi raises fuel rates by more than 40%.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

In short, malawi opposition demands answers over president' s prolonged stay abroad is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.