In a statement government Spokesperson Jappie Mhango said the exercise lacked professionalism and objectivity.  

Mhango said those who made the assessment did not indicate the methodology used and questions asked and did not state how many people were included in the sample before coming up with the purported results.    

According to the statement, the assessment is among a series of propaganda against government adding that it is an open secret that Times Newspapers are hostile to government and are often used as mouth pieces for the opposition Malawi Congress Party.   

The government Spokesperson said there is no country anywhere in the world where a few media personnel assess the President and his cabinet the way Times newspapers have done.

He says the practice was once done in South Africa during Late President Mandela’s time but it was abandoned because they found that it was meaningless and not helpful.  

In Malawi, Mhango says the practice started during the Late Bingu wa Mutharika’s time but was abandoned especially during President Joyce Banda’s time.

Having resurfaced during the Professor Peter Mutharika’s administration, Mhango says the development is obviously an indication that the initiative is a campaign targeted at the DPP led government.   

Mhango said it was strange that President Mutharika who has been respected so highly and awarded profusely by international organisations could be scored 5 out of 10 by Times Media personalities adding that the opinions or interpretations which the President is giving on the Access to Information Bill must be golden advice to anyone who understands the law. 

Mhango says the President is a global Champion of the youth, Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and He for She campaign. 

He says all these are strong indicators of a successful world personality. 

The statement says it is laughable that a group of journalists from a newspaper such as the Sunday Times cannot recognize the many international and local achievements President Mutharika has achieved and continues to achieve and give him a performance score of 5 out of 10.