Malawi: President rules out third term

Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika has said he will not stand for a third term. His remarks follow rumours that his Democratic Progressive Party, which scooped almost half of the seats in Parliament in the May elections, will stamp its majority to offer another third term to the president.
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The reports say that with the majority in Parliament, the president cannot fail to amend the Constitution to either extend the presidential terms to seven years or provide a third term. Analysts recently also expressed fears with the DPP’s majority in Parliament saying they will dictate everything and give no chance to the opposition.

However, Mutharika has said that such a thing will not happen and that his government was determined to work with the opposition to uplift the country. A statement from the country’s State House described the rumours as baseless.

“The state president made it clear upon his election in June 2004 when he took oath of office to protect and defend the constitution of the Republic,” said State House Press Officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi in a statement.

He said the media reports were malicious and untrue and described president Mutharika as a man of very high integrity.

President Mutharika, who has won the hearts of many in the country including donors for his prudent leadership, was elected president in 2004 and then retained the seat for another five-year term in May this year.

Former president Bakili Muluzi who Mutharika succeeded also attempted for open and third term bids but both flopped.