Ntaba is fired!

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has fired his Chief Political Advisor Dr Hetherwick Ntaba withdrawing his official car and other benefits for suggesting that the widowed president to marry in order to gain moral respect among Malawians, sources at the State House have revealed.

Sources have told Nyasa Times that the Democratic Progressive Party Secretary General made the suggestion after observing on numerous occasions the ever rising “chemistry” between the president and the Health Minister Marjorie Ngaunje – a widow.

Mutharika has barred Ntaba from seeing him without appointments and all transactions are going through the State House Chief of Staff Charles Namondwe, a president’s nephew.

“Following his marriage suggestion, the door has been slammed in his face and any meetings from are by appointments through the Namondwe,” said the source.

Francis Mphepo, a political advisor to the president has taken over Ntaba’s role.

But Ntaba, dubbed “talking computer” by the British Broadcasting Corporation when he was the Malawi Congress Party Publicity Secretary during Hastings Banda’s dictatorship era denies that he has been booted out of office.

“I have not been kicked out of office…I am still in the job with my office in Europa House in Lilongwe City Centre and my DPP Secretary General office in Area 12.

“In fact I find this ludicrous and nonsensical,” said Ntaba. But DPP insiders have revealed that Ntaba has lost the trust of the president and party executive members singling him as a breed of squabbles within the party.

Henry Chimunthu Banda, DPP First Vice President and Minister of Energy and Mining will take over the role of Secretary General - in an acting capacity - as soon as parliament rises.

“He made the remark that angered the president and the whole executive committee finds his advice ill conceived and ill timed particularly when the president is still mourning the death of his wife, the First Lady.

“This is not the right time for him to consider marriage,” said the DPP supremo who sought not to be named.

State House Press officer could not be reached for a comment as his phone went unanswered.

Ntaba recently came under heavy attack from Mutharika’s children for revealing the exact nature of illness that killed Madame Ethel Mutharika. He was reported to have been kicked and slapped by the drunken children.