Malawi’s President Mutharika to wed former MP

Malawi President Peter Mutharika is to wed a former parliamentarian Grace Maseko on June 21 in a traditional wedding.

A press release from the State House indicated that the wedding will take place at his home village in Thyolo.

Mutharika, a widower for 30 years, was sworn in as the president of Malawi on June 1.

“The State House is pleased to inform all Malawians about the traditional wedding of His Excellency State President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to his long time best friend and confidant Madam Gertrude Hendrina Maseko,” reads the statement.

The statement indicated that the wedding will be a private ceremony and will take place on Saturday June 21 at St Michael’s and All Angels CCAP Church in Blantyre.

“Thereafter a family reception will be held in the village, at the Mutharika family home at Ndata farm in Thyolo district,” he said.

Grace Maseko was a parliamentarian from 2009 to 2014 and failed to retain the seat in the just ended elections.

President Mutharika is yet to announce his Cabinet.

He will be the third president to wed in office. Former President Bakili Muluzi married in office after divorcing his wife Anne.

The late President Bingu wa Mutharika also married while in office after his first wife Ethel died.