Mutharika visits Zimbabwe next week

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika will visit Zimbabwe next week on Monday for the first time following the demise of his wife Madame Mrs Ethel Mutharika who was buried on June 10 at Ndata Farm in Thyolo, state house sources have revealed.

Mutharika will join the Zimbabwe family mourners assembled at Bineth Farm outside Kadoma run by his in-law Mai Nyoni and son Madalisto.

“The President leaves on Monday and will spend some days in the country with mourners at his farm. He will also carry some high level talks seeking wisdom and solutions on the current political crisis in the country with his Zimbabwean counterpart,” state house source said.

Malawi has been sounded as a possible country for Mugabe’s retirement in a rescue package being drawn up and the press in Zimbabwe reported that Mugabe’s visit during the First Lady’s burial was also to have a look at the Ndata Farm in which he co-owns with Mutharika.

"He (Mugabe) is considering Malawi and Namibia as possible retirement homes," ZimDaily quoted its sources. "He has properties (farms) in those countries and has started making moves because he knows that he will be unable to live safely in Zimbabwe when he is no longer president."

The Malawi leader facing a political crisis will meet the man he admires most in modern politics seeking solutions to his own problems as the international diplomatic community have stayed mum on the current political situation threatening his minority government vowing to seek solutions from elsewhere.

Government spokesperson could not comment on the matter referring Nyasa Times to State House Press Officer Chikumbutso Mutumodzi who switched off his phone when the subject was introduced.

However, an analyst from Chancellor Collage has deplored the current political situation and seeking solutions from Mugabe would only plunge the country into a deeper crisis.

“We deplore any secret activities which Mutharika and Mugabe engages in and we are ware Mugabe cannot offer any solutions to our political impasse. If it is dialogue about Mugabe retiring in Malawi, then this has to be a subject for debate by all Malawians as to whether we can accept such a leader to be in our midst.

“What is more worrisome is the fact that Zimbabwe Defence Force is sending their trainers here (Malawi) and we have sent our soldiers to their country,” said the analyst who did not want to be named.

Malawi has offered Mugabe 400 000 metric tonnes of maize in a deal worth about US$120 million whose payment details are shrouded in secrecy. However, media reports indicate the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RMB) was procuring maize on behalf of Zimbabwe. Malawi has also extended a US$10 million credit line on the maize deal which has already seen over 90 000 tonnes shipped.

Farm workers at Bineth Farm were up in arms in 2004 over the poor state of housing on the estate, which they described as dilapidated pole and mud structures, posing a health hazard.

The Mutharikas acquired the farm in 1994 and named it Bineth, “Bin” being the first three letters of Bingu, while “eth” represented the first three letters of his late wife’s name.