By Durell Namasani
The gloves are off as the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) takes a brutal swipe at President Arthur Peter Mutharika over his sudden “private” dash to South Africa.
While the government finally confirmed the trip, HRDC Chairperson Michael Kaiyatsa isn’t buying the vague official statement. In a fiery response, he blasted the administration for leaving Malawians completely in the dark, demanding an urgent answer to one burning question: Who is holding the presidential pen while Mutharika is out of the country?
But the watchdog isn’t stopping there. With the nation groaning under the weight of a sky-high cost of living, crippling forex shortages, and mounting public debt, Kaiyatsa is asking the uncomfortable question every taxpayer is thinking: Who is footing the bill for the President’s frequent jet-setting, and is it really worth the cost?
The HRDC is giving the government an ultimatum disguised as a demand: immediately disclose the exact constitutional arrangements for the acting presidency, reveal whether public funds are being drained for this trip, and release a full, unredacted log of every foreign trip Mutharika has taken this year—complete with the price tag and tangible benefits.
Kaiyatsa didn’t mince words, stressing that transparency isn’t a suggestion but a constitutional obligation—and that even the Presidency isn’t above the law. As the economic heat turns up, Malawians are left wondering if their leader is prioritizing diplomacy or taking a costly vacation while the country burns.
