BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—President Arthur Peter Mutharika, who is also torchbearer for DPP-UDF Alliance in the forthcoming Fresh Presidential Election (FPE), has blamed the country’s judges for blocking Malawians from going on lockdown in the face of the novel Coronavirus.
President Mutharika made the remarks at Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Thyolo district where he went to appreciate what students have innovated in the fight against Covid-19.
“The Courts stopped us from going on a lockdown. The same Courts want us to go to an Election. Everybody knows that I won the 2019 Election! If the Court had chosen to follow the law and evidence of the Election Case, we wouldn’t be going to another Election.
“Now, we have a situation that is encouraging everybody to campaign and undermining social distance. We are risking lives of innocent Malawians. With this Election, we are risking lives of our children, our mothers, our fathers, our brothers and sisters.
“As President of this country, this is what I have to say. This country must choose between fighting Coronavirus and going to an Election. We must choose between life and death. As a country, we must make that choice,” Mutharika said.
On the innovations produced at the university, Mutharika hailed the university students for demonstrating a spirit of innovation and patriotism amid the crisis.
“The Malawi University of Science and Technology has lived up to our expectations of leading in science, technology education, research and entrepreneurship.
This is the way it must be. University academics must lead in research and innovation to find solutions for problems confronting society. At the moment, we have a problem. We are in the middle of a crisis of Coronavirus. I repeat what I have always said: Coronavirus is real. Coronavirus is a crisis.
“Coronavirus is killing people in every country. This disease does not choose. Coronavirus can kill anyone at any time. That is what we are seeing everywhere. The problem we have in this country is that we are taking Coronavirus lightly. Dziko lino tachulutsa chibwana. Tickuchita chibwana ndi matenda a Coronavirus. Our fight against Coronavirus is being undermined by politics,” he said.
The University has produced equipments such as ventilators, Automatic water and soap dispensers, Face shields, Reusable face masks, and Hand sanitizers.
The University has also designed a tracking system to prevent, minimize and contain the spreading of Coronavirus.
The Polytechnic has also produced an oxygen breathing machine to support patients with respiratory problems. The Polytechnic is also making drones for collecting samples.
The College of Medicine, Chancellor College and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources are all providing laboratory support and research leadership in fighting the Coronavirus.
From MUST, Mutharika proceeded to Goliati Trading Centre where he addressed a multitude of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters.
Mutharika, who was in a jovial mood, assured his supporters that he will win again in the forthcoming Fresh Presidential Election just like he did in the 2019 election.
President Mutharika commended people of Thyolo for supporting and voting for him in times of elections.
Mutharika said he is going to bounce back as state president of the Republic of Malawi and encouraged the people of Thyolo to strongly support Atupele Muluzi as his runningmate and take him as one of them in the DPP-UDF alliance.
He advised registered voters in the district to go and vote for him again in the coming election.
