Minister of Information accused of lying on Mutharika’s health

Minister of Information and Communications Technology Malisoni Ndau has been criticized for lying to Malawians that President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika was enjoying robust health while in the United States of America.

The criticism follows Mutharika’s return on Sunday through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in the capital Lilongwe which saw him using one hand only.

In a statement co-signed by Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) Executive Director Gift Trapance and Centre for Human Right and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Timothy Mtambo observed the Minister and government has been lying all this while.

“We all know that the President is not an immortalised figure. He is a human being who can fall ill like the rest of Malawians. As such, it is beneath the government machinery to hide the illness of the country’s leader. This culture of needless secrecy needs to stop.

“In light of the above, we at CHRR and Cedep call upon government to apologise to the Malawi nation for the lies it has been peddling on the whereabouts and health of the President since the United Nations General Assembly (Unga),” the statement reads.

Last week, Minister of Information told Malawians in a statement that Mutharika is in good health and urged Malawians to stop worrying about the President.

Ndau also warned Malawians to stop spreading rumours of Mutharika’s illness, saying government will arrest anyone found doing so.

The statement attracted criticism from various sections in the country with others demanding government to release a video of Mutharika holding a newspaper while in the USA.

Others even vowed to continue spreading the rumours until Mutharika returns home.

The development forced the State House to release a press statement informing Malawians that Mutharika will jet in Sunday October 16, 2016.