President Peter Mutharika will not attend the Southern African Development Community-SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of States and Government in Tanzania.

The Malawi leader has instead sent Vice President Everton Chimulirenji to represent him at the summit which will be held in Dar es Salaam, from 16th to 20th August 2019.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Chimulirenji’s Press Officer Charles Wahara said the Vice President will leave for Tanzania on Friday this week at 4:30 PM through Kamuzu International Airport in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe.

The SADC Summit is responsible for the overall policy direction and control of functions of the community, ultimately making it the policy-making institution of SADC. It is made up of all SADC Heads of States or Government.

The 39th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held under the theme; “A Conducive Environment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, Increased Intra-Regional Trade, and Job Creation.”

President Mutharika is yet to go on a foreign trip months after being re-elected in the disputed May 21 elections.

His main challengers in the elections, Dr Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party-MCP and Dr Saulos Chilima of United Transformation Movement-UTM, are challenging the legitimacy of Mutharika in court.
Millions of Malawians have been taking to the streets, demanding the immediate resignation of Chairperson of Malawi Electoral Commission-MEC Justice Jane Ansah for allegedly failing to manage free, fair and credible General elections.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition-HRDC which has been organizing the anti-Justice protests, says the next demonstrations will be held at all border ports and airports of the country from 26th to 30th August 2019.