Malawi’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) acting president Peter Mutharika has said government and President Joyce Banda’s push of blame to DPP for recent civil servants’ and pupils’ strikes is irresponsible.

In an interview after his shopping spree at Malangalanga and Chinsapo markets in Lilongwe on Saturday where he boarded a commuter minibus, Mutharika said strikes against Malawi’s weakening economy are a result of lack of quality and visionary leadership.

He said Banda needs to realise that she is the Head of State.

He said: “It is very sad that government, including the President, can make those allegations [that DPP organised strikes]. It is completely irresponsible. I am very angry with that. It is an attempt to find some fault with me. There is now a trend that every problem this country faces is attributed to me and [late president] Bingu [wa Mutharika].”

During his shopping spree, crowds of vendors descended on Mutharika at the two markets and kept yelling about rising commodity prices and economic hardships they are facing due to government economic reforms.

Malawi’s Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu on Sunday said Banda is trying hard to alleviate people’s suffering, urging Mutharika not to forget that DPP is the source of the economic hardships Malawians are currently facing.

“They can say that because it’s their first time to travel and meet people on the ground. [Mutharika] should have also visited the markets before July 20 [2011] and April [2012] to see how the situation was and compare it with what is there today,” he said.