JB surrounded by ‘same bootlickers’ – Kapito criticizes Malawi leader again

Outspoken Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) boss John Kapito who recently called on President Mrs. Joyce Banda to step down or call for early elections has claimed that People’s Party (PP) government, led by President Banda, had failed the people.

In an interview with Zodiak Radio in Tiuzeni Zoona Programme on Sunday, Kapito people cannot afford “dignified” livelihood anymore; people are walking to their workplaces as they cannot afford a bus fare.

Kapito also pointed out President Banda had surrounded herself with “bad advisors” who “spoiled” former President late Bingu wa Mutharika and that if she does not remove them, she is doomed to fail.

He questioned the President for not hiring “new people with fresh ideas.”

The activist said time to blame the past is gone, those running government today need to take responsibility of any problem that Malawians are undergoing, saying “let us not talk about Bingu; let’s just fix the mess we’ve today”.

He also said the Banda government is not in charge of the current economic and social challenges facing Malawians, arguing that Malawi “is being ruled by World Bank and IMF.”

Kapito said Malawi under President Banda is like “in a vehicle that has lost direction and control.”

‘Not job-seeker’

But State House has accused Katipo of being frustrated man because he was not being re-elected as chairperson of the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and not being given any job in the Banda administration

Presidential press secretary Steve Nhlane who said Kapito is speaking like a bitter man, pointed out that the myriad problems that accumulated for three years under Mutharika could not disappear within four months of Banda presidency.

However, during an interview on Zodiak Radio, Kapito said he was not a job-seeker.

CAMA boss said when he was chairperson of the state-funded MHRC, he was criticising the leadership without fear.

During his tenure of office at MHRC, Kapito invited the wrath of the government which appointed him as he continued to stand firm against what he considered to be violations of peoples’ rights.

At one point, Mutharika accused Kapito of trying to unseat him.

“Just like I told Bingu, I maintain that I am not interested in politics and I will never be,” he said.

Support

Despite getting some bashing from government, Kapito’s voice is getting support from some analysts.

Making his case in Civil Society internet discussion forum, Adamson Muula, also said the same people who “misled” Mutharika were close to President Banda.

“JB has the advice, both bad and good from close inner circle, media and other sources. That the old guard still surround her just as they surrounded Bingu is more to do with political survival than getting real advice,” he wrote.

Muula, who is a medical practitioner, argued that advice alone is not enough to make or break a president.

“Foolish presidents, just like foolish non-presidents can certainly be easily misled. Clever guys can also be misled but probably a little more difficult. My concern is that JB is probably not sophisticated enough.

“I would consider the Chief Justice Saga, the Chief Immigration saga, meeting with Economic Think Tanks of South Africa instead of local ones for advice; the flip-flopping on the presidential jet ; ‘we will sell it, we will lease it out, we will hire a consultant to assess what needs to be done, we have already hired a consultant who is assessing what needs to be done with the plane, I have passports of people who are non Malawians but have Malawian passports, one of these days we will tell you how much money was in the government when we took power, I know it is some businessman who is funding lawlessness and robberies’,” posted Muula.