Mutharika accuses predecessor over political chaos in Malawi

Blantyre, Malawi (PANA) - In a special live nation-wide radio and television broadcast here Wednesday, President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi accused his predecessor, Bakili Muluzi, of "masterminding" a Supreme Court ruling that risks plunging the country into a political mess.

Mutharika, who has been at loggerheads with Muluzi since he (Mutharika) quit the UDF early 2005, did not pinpoint how Muluzi had masterminded the ruling that could prompt the dismissal of majority of the MPs that crossed to his ruling party.

Mutharika also criticised the Supreme Court of Appeal for having granted the Speaker of Parliament powers to expel MPs who quit their parties to join others, a move that could prompt mass expulsion of MPs of his ruling Democratic Progressive Party and eventually cause the collapse of his minority government.

Mutharika had sought the court's interpretation of a controversial law under Section 65 of the Malawi Constitution, which bars MPs from switching sides in Parliament after elections.

This happened after opposition parties began pushing for the dismissal of lawmakers who followed Mutharika to his DPP that he founded after quitting the former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) which successfully sponsored his candidature in the 2004 elections.

Mutharika said he referred the matter to the courts "for good reason", saying he believes that Section 65 was "inconsistent with other provisions of the Constitution" which guarantees fundamental political and human rights and freedom of association.

"There is discomfort in the minds of many that the learned judges, by ruling in favour of political parties rather than individuals as guaranteed in the Constitution, appear in effect to put the interests of a political party above the fundamental rights and freedom of any individual member of the National Assembly," he observed.

A High Court judge last week granted an injunction restraining the Speaker of Parliament from expelling the MPs.

Speaker Louis Chimango had told the opposition-dominated Parliament that no action would be taken on the affected MPs until the courts vacate the injunction.

But by the time the injunction was being issued, Chimango had already written over 50 MPs giving the seven days to put in their defence before he declared their seats vacant.