Chimulirenji defends his appointment as Mutharika’s runningmate

The Democratic Progressive Party running mate Everton Chimulilenji says President Mutharika has not goofed by choosing him as his running mate in the forth coming general elections scheduled for May 21, 2019.

Speaking at Ntcheu boma on Sunday when he addressed his first meeting since he was chosen as running mate, Chimulilenji who is also Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development said his appointment as running mate only shows how the President trusts him.

“A lot has been said about me but what I can tell you is that the President has made the right choice. This is not the first time that I am representing Malawians. I have represented Malawi before outside the country on several occasions and why not now? His choice to pick me as running mate shows he trusts me,” said Chimulilenji.

He said people of Ntcheu have given him a go ahead to partner with Mutharika saying he was a development conscious leader.

“Even people of Ntcheu want me to work with President Mutharika as his running mate because they say he is a visionary and development conscious leader. I would like to assure you that we are not losing elections this year because we are a good team,” said Chimulilenji.

The running mate who is also Ntcheu North East parliamentarian then asked the people of eastern region to give him much support on his new appointment.

President Mutharika announced of the appointment of Chimulilenji as his running mate in the May, 2019 tripartite elections in Blantyre recently during presentation of nomination papers for presidential aspirants to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

His appointment attracted mixed reactions from some quarters of the society who said Chimulilenji was not a suitable candidate for the position.

President Mutharika himself has maintained that Chimulilenji is the best candidate for the position whom he said was loyal, trustworthy, hardworking and a performer.