Malawi president says not step down till 2014

Malawi President Bingu Mutharika said on Thursday that he would not step down until his second term of five years that winds up in 2014, affirming that his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) would rule thereafter for the next two terms.Mutharika made the remarks in reaction to the call from Public Affairs Committee (PAC) that urged the president to resign in 60 days or call for a referendum in 90 days to assess his popularity.Speaking during the commemoration of World Water Day in Mangochi, Mutharika deviated from the event’s speech and hit back at PAC, an organization comprised of several religious leaders that was established in 1993 to look into issues of governance in the country.“I would like to clearly tell the nation that Bingu will never step down until 2014,” said Mutharika in his speech monitored on the state-owned media, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). “And I want you to know that I have got the powers to call for constitutional amendment and rule for a third term and even to rule for life if I so wish,” he said. Mutharika said because he is a democratic leader he would respect the constitution and step down in 2014.He added that his young brother, Peter Mutharika, would take the presidency from 2014 to the next 10 years.