Malawi VP urges president to move back to capital

Malawi's Vice-President Saulos Chilima has urged President Peter Mutharika to move back the capital, Lilongwe, as opposed to the commercial city of Blantyre to reduce costs.

Mr Chilima said the money used by cabinet ministers and the president's staff to pay for hotels should be redirected to the fight against coronavirus.

He also proposed that five state lodges, which are the president's official residents spread across the country, be turned into isolation centres.

Relations between President Mutharika and the vice-president soured after an alliance of their parties collapsed last year in the run up to the general elections.

The vice-president challenged President Mutharika in the presidential election and finished third. But the vote was annulled by a court in February this year, citing irregularities, and a new election ordered. The court allowed Mr Chilima to retain his vice-president position until the election is held.

Mr Chilima's United Transformation Movement (UTM) has since formed an alliance with the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) ahead of the repeat election.

On Wednesday, he told a media briefing that he would donate his entire salary to the fight against the virus and termed the president's 10% wage cut as "insignificant".

"I sincerely request the president and cabinet members to at least donate 50% of their salaries and fuel allocations to go toward the Covid-19 response," he said.

Malawi reported its first coronavirus on 2 April - one of the last countries to do so. It has confirmed eight cases so far.

The country, among the world's poorest, has declared a state of emergency.

All social gatherings of more than 100 people, such as funerals, church services and political rallies, have been banned.