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President Bingu wa Mutharika has summoned Agriculture minister Chakufwa Chihana to question him on the remarks he made over the weekend that the new administration has despised him.
Sources also said Chihana, who is also Alliance for Democracy (Aford) leader, would have to explain why he has decided to go on holiday without informing the President at a time when government was struggling to implement the Targeted Input Packs (TIP) programme which is directly linked to his ministry.
The meeting at the State Lodge in Lilongwe is expected to decide Chihana’s fate as minister.
“The President is so bitter with him that tomorrow is likely to be Chihana’s last day as a cabinet minister. The President wants to give him a chance to explain before firing him,” said a source.
Chihana over the weekend told a rally in Nkhata Bay that he goofed by dragging his party into a coalition government with UDF since the Bingu administration has not honoured what was outlined in the two party’s memorandum of understanding.
The Aford czar is also reported to be on holiday which sources said would run up to December this year.
State House Press Officer Prescott Gonani Wednesday could not confirm the meeting.
“Tomorrow’s schedule is indicating nothing that the President would be meeting anyone. Sometimes it is possible that the President can summon a cabinet minister without indicating it on the schedule,” he said.
But a source at State House said the President would be meeting Chihana this morning.
Chihana himself could not be drawn to comment as he cut his phone soon after being told that it was from Nation.
Aford spokesperson Norman Nyirenda also said he was not aware of the meeting.
“If Chihana was summoned to State House that would be in his personal capacity and not as an Aford leader. If he was going there in a party jacket I would have known,” said Nyirenda.
Chihana served as second vice president in the Muluzi administration and anticipated that he would retain the position in the new government but Mutharika only gave him the agricultural portfolio.
Meanwhile, Aford has organised a conference in Mzuzu which officials say is aimed at chartering the way forward after its disastrous performance in the May 20 general elections.
Aford Secretary General Wallace Chiume said the conference was only for the Northern Region and was aimed at analysing how the party performed during the polls.
“I have not yet seen the agenda of the conference but as a party we have not met seriously after the elections and we would want to have views from the people on how they saw the elections. It’s a buildup meeting to find out why we performed poorly and look ahead,” he said.
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