Peter Mutharika has made South Africa his most visited destination this year, with this latest trip marking his fifth visit in 2019 alone. For an opposition already watching the presidency closely, that number has become hard to ignore.
Malawi's opposition parties are now publicly demanding answers about why the president continues to spend extended periods outside the country. The repeated absences have fueled frustration among critics who feel the administration owes citizens a clearer explanation of what exactly keeps drawing Mutharika back to South Africa so frequently.
The pressure is building, and it does not appear to be easing anytime soon. Whether the presidency chooses to respond, or stays quiet, the question of accountability around a leader's time abroad is now firmly in the public conversation.
Originally published by BBC Africa.