President Mutharika sets conditions for dialogue with Malawi opposition

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has set conditions for dialogue and reconciliation on the current political stand-off following the opposition leaders’ refusal to discuss the national budget in parliament, APA learnt here Tuesday.

The opposition said priority should be the dismissal of MPs who defected to the government side following Mutharika’s dumping of the former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) party two years ago.

State House Press Officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi said the president’s office was ready for dialogue with the opposition but the latter should put their proposals for the talks in writing.

"We would like the opposition to put their intentions or demands on paper so that the dialogue can start as soon as possible," Mtumodzi said.

But opposition UDF spokesperson Sam Mpasu said it was the government which should initiate the dialogue with the opposition – and not visa versa.

"We in the opposition side have been willing to have talks with the government but they are always rigid," Mpasu said.

He said government should write to the opposition on what they want, and when they need the dialogue.

"We (opposition) are always ready for the discussions," he added

Malawi Congress Party spokesperson Ishmael Chafukira said government has always shunned reconciliation talks with the opposition.

Chafukira cited as an example the time both the opposition and government were invited for reconciliation talks chaired by former South African President Nelson Mandela and other SADC leaders in 2005.

"Our counterparts from the government side did not turn up to the meeting. It was only former President Bakili Muluzi, MCP President John Tembo and People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) leader Aleke Banda who were present. Our President Bingu wa Mutharika did not attend," he said.

Therefore, he said, government should start the move, by calling on the opposition in writing for discussions with it.