Lilongwe, 22nd December, 2015: Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima would like to clarify on reports alleging that he is being side-lined by His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi.
Such reports allege that His Excellency the President does not delegate the Vice President but instead opts for Cabinet Ministers.
The Vice President finds this allegation unfortunate and premised on hearsay intended to spread mischief and spark disaffection in the cordial relationship that the two enjoy.
In the wake of these allegations, the Vice President would like to highlight the following facts:
1. In August, 2014 in his maiden trip as Vice President, President Professor Mutharika delegated Dr. Chilima to Israel where he led Water and Agriculture experts on a fact finding mission on how irrigation can be developed and fully utilised in Malawi.
2. In September, 2014 His Excellency the President delegated the Vice President to represent Malawi at a Southern African Development Community (SADC) Double Troika Plus Two Summit in Pretoria, South Africa.
3. In November, 2014 His Excellency Professor Mutharika delegated Dr. Chilima to represent the nation at the burial of Michael Chilufya Sata, the late President of Zambia.
4. In March 2015, the Vice President was, again, delegated to go to Singapore where he led a team of Public Sector Reforms officials to study how the Southeast Asian country has managed to implement her reforms.
5. On 4th November, 2015 His Excellency the President further delegated the Vice President to travel to Tanzania to represent the people of Malawi at the inauguration of President-elect John Magufuli.
6. A week later, His Excellency the President approved for his Vice President to travel to Washington DC in the US to attend the launch of the Leadership Council of Compact2025. This was after the President had also approved that Dr. Chilima should serve in the council representing Malawi. As a result of this trip, it was impossible for the Vice President to travel to India where some Ministers were delegated because they were already part of the same trip. Above all, it would not have made any sense for austerity measures to have the Vice President travel when His Excellency the President had cancelled the trip in order to save costs.
7. It is also important to note that His Excellency the President appointed his Vice President to head one of the government’s flagship programmes, the Public Sector Reforms. Locally, the Vice President is also delegated to numerous functions. The Vice President is also Minister for Disaster Management Affairs as well as Minister for Public Events. The two ministerial offices add more work on his menu especially now that he is leading efforts on disaster preparedness and resilience. These responsibilities, given to him by His Excellency the President, make Dr. Chilima the busiest Vice President Malawi has ever had in recent years and his work requires that he be in office full time.
AUSTERITY MEASURES
The Vice President would also like to bring to the attention of the general public and other stakeholders that in the wake of the austerity measures which the President is championing, it is not economically prudent to expect the Vice President to be always delegated in the event that the President is not travelling.
The logistics for the Vice President’s trip involves a lot and consumes more financial resources, and therefore, it would not be wise for the public to always expect that when His Excellency the President is not travelling then the Vice President should travel because doing so would be defeating the very same purpose of austerity measures which the government is embarking on.
APPEAL
The Vice President would like to appeal to the general public and other stakeholders to avoid sensationalising issues at the expense of the nation. The Vice President would like the general public and all relevant stakeholders to be partners in national development as the nation looks forward towards a successful regime that is building a legacy.
We would like to highlight that it is possible for the President and his Vice to work well together for the betterment of Malawi. We are not a doomed nation but rather a blessed one.
In conclusion, the Vice President would like to remind the general public and other stakeholders that history, and the future generation, will judge us by what we can build, not destroy.
