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President Bingu wa Mutharika will not be part of the whistle-stop tour UDF national chair Bakili Muluzi plans to undertake throughout the country from Saturday to thank voters for electing Mutharika on May 20 election.
UDF Secretary General Kennedy Makwangwala said on Wednesday Muluzi will hold the tour from his residence in BCA Hill on Saturday morning towards Chiradzulu, Zomba and Machinga.
He said the trip, which will take four days, will see Muluzi going to Ntcheu and Balaka as well.
“The chairman wants to thank people for voting the UDF back into power and President Mutharika,” said Makwangwala.
He said Muluzi will also come up with another programme after next week to go to the Central and Northern regions on a similar tour.
“All this is to ensure that people know that the party is grateful to them,” said Makwangwala.
On why Mutharika will not be part of the tour, Makwangwala said “the President is busy with other engagements”.
Reports from the President’s office indicate that Mutharika will leave the country on Saturday for Mauritius where he will be attending a Sadc summit.
Mutharika will not be back in the country until Wednesday, a day after Muluzi winds up his tour of the Southern Region.
Reports are rife that there is a big split in the UDF caused by the way the President has been acting lately on government expenditure and new appointments in strategic positions. He has been shunning party functions, including a national executive committee meeting and putting his attention on state matters.
Mutharika has not been popular within the UDF faithful for departing from Muluzi’s culture of handouts.
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