Mutharika issues directive for Muluzi arrest

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika fulfilling his promise to deal with his political mentor Dr Bakili Muluzi "decisively" using “state instruments” has issued an arrest directive, a senior police officer has revealed.

A senior police officer at Southern Region Police Headquarters in Blantyre, has told Nyasa Times that Mutharika made the directive on July 8, two days after the opposition boycotted the 43rd Independence celebrations at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

“On July 8, the President held a meeting with his inner circle ministers and some senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) party officials where they discussed Nicholas Dausi defection from Malawi Congress Party.

“After that meeting he (Mutharika) met some senior police officers where he issued the directive to arrest former State President Muluzi two weeks after his arrival from the United Kingdom where he is on holiday.

“Right now Muluzi’s movement are closely being monitored and I am aware of two charges that have already been prepared; one on corruption and the other on Section 65,” the source said.

However, United Democratic Front (UDF) spokesperson Sam Mpasu could not be reached on his phone for comment.

But Kamlepo Kalua, leader of the Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) claimed to have heard Mutharika’s intention.

“Yes, I have heard from highly placed security sources about Mutharika’s intention to arrest the UDF national chairman when he returns from United Kingdom. We hear there are a number of the trumped up charges against him just to banish and silence him.

“But that is very bad, in such a political situation like what Malawi is going through at the moment, it is unfair to be practicing politics of vengeance and retribution,” Kalua explained.

Government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati rubbished the claims saying they were baseless and spread by people who do not feel good to see Muluzi and Mutharika sharing feelings.

“My friend that is nonsense, those are Muluzi people whipping up false stories, we know them. Let me ask the UDF national chairman not to live in fear but if indeed, he did something wrong he will not be spared,” said Kaliati.

During his recent speeches, Mutharika has exploded in his attack on Muluzi citing corruption, Section 65, impeachment, First Lady illness news leakage, among others.

Muluzi was once arrested in 2006 by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) acting on directives from above. However, the charges were dismissed by the then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ishamail Wadi. The development stirred political tension in the country and saw Mutharika firing the directors of the two respected institutions.