Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Arthur Peter Mutharika has this morning failed to start off for Mzuzu to commerce his scheduled tour of the Northern Region, following a sudden deteriorating of his health.
The Pangolin Online can confirm that medical specialists were called from Blantyre to Mutharika’s Area 43 residence in Lilongwe last night, where the 88-year-old former president was immediately put on intravenous treatment.
According to reliable sources, the doctors administered steroids and glucose to stabilize his frail condition, prescribing seven IV drips that were to run throughout the night.
The final drip, which was set to be exhausted at 9am today, effectively delayed his departure and cast doubt on whether the planned rallies at Jenda in Mzimba and Mzuzu Roundabout would go ahead.
This latest health scare comes less than 24 hours after Mutharika defied medical advice and travelled from Mangochi to Lilongwe on Thursday.
The journey included choreographed stop-overs at Nsipe, Ntcheu Boma, and Biwi Triangle in Lilongwe, where party supporters gathered largely out of curiosity to see if the former president was still capable of campaigning.
While Mutharika appeared more energetic than during the DPP manifesto launch weeks ago, when he delivered a weak and incoherent address, observers noted heavy stage-management by his aides.
Photographers were barred from taking close-range shots of him, with party operatives confirming that his longtime security aide Norman “Pythius Hiwa” Chisale had explicitly warned against close photography.
As of this morning, it remains unclear whether Mutharika would proceed with his Northern Region rallies. Sources inside the party admitted that the tour was under review, depending on his recovery from the overnight treatment.
Political analysts argue that the DPP’s insistence on parading its frail candidate reflects internal pressure from party opportunists eager to show activity ahead of next month’s elections, even at the expense of Mutharika’s health.
“The truth is Malawians are not seeing loyalty in these crowds, they are seeing curiosity. People are showing up to check whether APM is still standing, not necessarily to rally behind him,” said one Blantyre-based commentator.
With only weeks to the September polls, this heath scare deepens concerns about whether Mutharika, who is battling age, health issues and frailty, can sustain a grueling nationwide campaign.
