After so much uncalled for and misdirected outcry about Peter Mutharika’s riches, there appear to have been a discrepancy in the Bank statements and the figure Tukula and his assistants recorded.
Assets director Christopher Tukula said he was approached by State House officers sent by Mutharika to query the figure which was made public in the assets documents, and that he called for original documents which the President submitted and agreed that the handwriting was ambiguous, hence officers ended up entering a wrong figure.
When we checked the original record submitted, we agreed the handwriting was equivocal, but the figure was indeed $2 million instead of $8 million. So the figure we have corrected is the one in our system, which we released to people or organisations, that accessed the declaration,” said Tukula.
A legal expert and human rights activist, Justin Dzonzi, said there would be nothing wrong with correcting a genuine mistake as long as the correction ties with the actual bank.
People that faulted the Billion Kwacha number must not know how the system in the United States works. Peter Mutharika worked on a three figure job for three decades and upon retiring from the College he was owed a lump sum close to half a million If not more.
Peter Mutharika must certainly have participated in 401k program with matching contributions by the College. Even If he was putting a minimum of 5% of his pay check monthly that account after thirty years of work even including withdrawals for education and mortgages could easily at his salary earned him close ten million dollars. It is said anyone that simply bought 100 shares of Microsoft at its inception is now a millionaire. This could be said about many companies in the USA, the 401k program is having experts invest your money in Bonds and stocks.
Peter Mutharika through his payroll deductions must have contributed for thirty years to social security and upon retirement is entitled to that money.
My point is that many of us rushed to accuse Peter of dipping into Malawi Government money, however he could easily have made this money from his long employment with Washington University School of Law.
Peter Mutharika also consulted with the United Nations on International law that was also an extra source of money.
I know Malawians like a good scandal here and there, however this time we are looking for one where none exists. This was really much ado about nothing.
If President Peter Mutharika managed his money well he should have more money that what has currently been declared.
