29/07/2026
FACT-CHECK | The "APAC Best President" Report
GDTV has reviewed the claim that Mutharika was named Africa's best performing president in an APAC mid-year report and we found several credibility issues.
Here is what we found.
First, there is no record of an African Presidency Accountability Council or APAC. We checked the African Union, United Nations, and major governance databases. There is no official body called APAC listed as an AU organ or recognized think tank. The AU's real accountability tools are the African Peer Review Mechanism, the Mo Ibrahim Index, and AU Commission reports, not APAC.
Second, the named Secretary General cannot be verified. The statement names Ahmed Sankoh Sheriff as APAC Secretary General. Our search found no record of this name in any AU directory. Names similar to Sheriff only appear in unrelated Sierra Leone politics, not in any AU body.
Third, there is no report, no data, and no scorecards. Credible reports from the AU, Mo Ibrahim, or Afrobarometer always include data, methodology, and rankings for all 54 countries. This statement only has praise quotes and promises detailed scorecards next month with no link to any actual document. That is a common sign of a fake press release.
Bottom Line:
This appears to be a fabricated press release. APAC is not a recognized AU or international body, and there is no verifiable evidence that it exists. Real accountability reports are transparent with data and methodology.
Until APAC provides a website, full report, and proof of its existence, Malawians are right to question this.
If you saw this on WhatsApp or Facebook, treat it with caution. It looks like misinformation using Addis Ababa and AU language to appear official.
