Malawi's former president Bakili Muluzi, who ruled between 1994 and 2004, was arrested on Sunday at the country's main airport as he arrived home from a holiday in Britain, his lawyer said.
The former president, who wrested power from dictator Kamuzu Banda in the country's first democratic elections, has been linked to a coup plot which was allegedly being hatched by his party and former army figures.
Confirming the incident, his lawyer Fahad Assani told AFP: "We don't know why. I have not seen the warrant of arrest."
Assani said Muluzi, who had been on an Air Malawi flight, was arrested by police and then flown in a military plane to an undisclosed destination.
Former army chief of staff Joseph Chimbayo and ex-police commander Joseph Aironi were among a group of eight people arrested last week after President Bingu wa Mutharika voiced fears of a plot to topple him.
They have all been charged with treason and conspiracy to murder and have been released on bail.
Mutharika had said in a speech a day before the arrests that he had received intelligence that Muluzi, his chief opponent in elections next year, was "planning to remove me through Section 65".
The president was referring to a controversial constitutional clause which has sparked heated debate in the southern African nation as it allows the speaker of parliament to sack lawmakers who have changed political allegiance.
Mutharika's minority government poached most of its MPs from the opposition and the opposition is now trying to pressure the speaker to sack the lawmakers and thus force the president out of office.
Muluzi ruled impoverished Malawi from 1994 to 2004 before handing over power to Mutharika.
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Malawi ex-leader Muluzi held on coup charge
Former Malawian president Bakili Muluzi was arrested in connection with an alleged coup plot as he returned home from Britain on Sunday, his lawyer said.
Five members of Muluzi's United Democratic Front (UDF) and three army generals were arrested last week on suspicion of being part of a plot to bring him to power, and an arrest warrant was issued for Muluzi.
"He was ordered to follow the soldiers at (Lilongwe) airport and (they) asked him to board a military helicopter," Muluzi's lawyer Fahad Assani said.
Muluzi became president in 1994 in an election that ended the dictatorship of Hastings Kamuzu Banda and one-party rule, and held power for 10 years.
His successor, Bingu wa Mutharika, alienated many UDF members including Muluzi with a drive against corruption, and subsequently quit the UDF to form the Democratic Progressive Party.
Muluzi, who was briefly investigated for corruption in 2006, remains a powerful political force and has been endorsed by the UDF as its candidate in next year's presidential election.
The other eight accused have all been released on bail.
The police and the army declined to comment on Muluzi's arrest.
Five members of Muluzi's United Democratic Front (UDF) and three army generals were arrested last week on suspicion of being part of a plot to bring him to power, and an arrest warrant was issued for Muluzi.
"He was ordered to follow the soldiers at (Lilongwe) airport and (they) asked him to board a military helicopter," Muluzi's lawyer Fahad Assani said.
Muluzi became president in 1994 in an election that ended the dictatorship of Hastings Kamuzu Banda and one-party rule, and held power for 10 years.
His successor, Bingu wa Mutharika, alienated many UDF members including Muluzi with a drive against corruption, and subsequently quit the UDF to form the Democratic Progressive Party.
Muluzi, who was briefly investigated for corruption in 2006, remains a powerful political force and has been endorsed by the UDF as its candidate in next year's presidential election.
The other eight accused have all been released on bail.
The police and the army declined to comment on Muluzi's arrest.
Lawyer says Malawi's former president arrested; charges unclear
BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) - A lawyer for Malawi's former president says the leader was arrested as he returned from a foreign trip.
The lawyer, Fahad Assani, says he does not know what charges former President Bakili Muluzi faces after Sunday's arrest. But close aides to Muluzi had been arrested earlier on charges they were plotting to overthrow the current president, with whom Muluzi has clashed.
Word of the arrest angered thousands of people who had gathered at the airport in the capital, Lilongwe, to greet Muluzi on his return from a trip to Europe. There were clashes with police, and Brown Mpinganjira, a close ally of Muluzi, told The Associated Press three people were shot by police and several were beaten.
The lawyer, Fahad Assani, says he does not know what charges former President Bakili Muluzi faces after Sunday's arrest. But close aides to Muluzi had been arrested earlier on charges they were plotting to overthrow the current president, with whom Muluzi has clashed.
Word of the arrest angered thousands of people who had gathered at the airport in the capital, Lilongwe, to greet Muluzi on his return from a trip to Europe. There were clashes with police, and Brown Mpinganjira, a close ally of Muluzi, told The Associated Press three people were shot by police and several were beaten.
Madonna's adoption remarks sting Malawi
BLANTYRE, Malawi: Malawi's state-sponsored rights group hit out yesterday at recent comments by US pop singer Madonna, saying she was "putting it crudely" when she said the country had no adoption laws.
"If we had no laws, how come she was asked to apply to the court to adopt a child? She used the same laws she is criticising to adopt David," said Dorothy Nyasulu, chairwoman of the state-sponsored Malawi Human Rights Commission.
Madonna told a news conference last week at the Cannes film festival that there were no adoption laws in Malawi, and that she was the "template or role model, so to speak, for future adoptions".
She said she was "happy to be the guinea pig", and expressed hope that her full adoption of David Banda, a decision on which will be made on Wednesday, will make it easier for other people to adopt children in Malawi.
The commission, which is funded by the Government, and the Human Rights Consultative Committee, a coalition of 67 rights groups, are reviewing an interim 18-month custody order granted to Madonna in 2006 to adopt David.
Ms Nyasulu said Madonna was "not fair" in her remarks. She said Malawi had adoption laws, but not intra-country adoption.
"We want our adoption laws [to] conform to international human rights standards such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on Child Rights."
Critics say Madonna has used her wealth to hasten the adoption.
"If we had no laws, how come she was asked to apply to the court to adopt a child? She used the same laws she is criticising to adopt David," said Dorothy Nyasulu, chairwoman of the state-sponsored Malawi Human Rights Commission.
Madonna told a news conference last week at the Cannes film festival that there were no adoption laws in Malawi, and that she was the "template or role model, so to speak, for future adoptions".
She said she was "happy to be the guinea pig", and expressed hope that her full adoption of David Banda, a decision on which will be made on Wednesday, will make it easier for other people to adopt children in Malawi.
The commission, which is funded by the Government, and the Human Rights Consultative Committee, a coalition of 67 rights groups, are reviewing an interim 18-month custody order granted to Madonna in 2006 to adopt David.
Ms Nyasulu said Madonna was "not fair" in her remarks. She said Malawi had adoption laws, but not intra-country adoption.
"We want our adoption laws [to] conform to international human rights standards such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on Child Rights."
Critics say Madonna has used her wealth to hasten the adoption.
Bakili Muluzi arrested at Malawi airport
BLANTYRE - Malawi’s former president Bakili Muluzi has been arrested at the country’s main airport as he arrived home from a holiday in Britain, his lawyer said.
More to follow...
More to follow...
Malawi rights group hits out at Madonna adoption law criticism
Malawi's state-sponsored rights group on Sunday hit out at recent comments by US pop diva Madonna, saying she was "putting it crudely" when she said the country had no adoption laws.
"She (Madonna) was putting it crudely. If we had no laws, how come she was asked to apply to the court to adopt a child. She used the same laws she is criticising to adopt David," Dorothy Nyasulu, chairperson of the state-sponsored Malawi rights commission, told AFP.
Nyasulu was reacting after the pop star told a news conference last week at the Cannes film festival in France that there were no adoption laws in Malawi, adding that she was the "template or role model, so to speak, for future adoptions."
Saying she was "happy to be the guinea pig", Madonna expressed hope that her full adoption of the African boy David Banda, whose final verdict will be made Wednesday, will make it easier for other people to adopt children in the impoverished country.
The commission, which gets its funding from the government, alongside the human rights consultative commmittee (HRCC), a coalition of 67 rights groups, are "friends of the courts" in a full review of an interim 18-month custody order granted to Madonna in 2006 to adopt David.
Nyasulu said Madonna was "not fair" in her remarks, insisting that Malawi had adoption laws, but not intra-country adoption.
"We want our adoption laws (to) conform to international human rights standards such as the convention on the rights of the child and the African charter on child rights," Nyasulu said.
Maxwell Matewere, a spokesman of the outspoken HRCC, earlier told AFP that his group expects Madonna to be subjected to "stringent regulations and procedures" in the full adoption of the toddler.
"Malawi needs to draw a clear picture and if not careful, we could lose some children in the process because other people might use the same laws to adopt children for illegal trafficking, sexual exploitation and child labour," Matewere said.
He said his commission was not "only looking at David, but other children who may be exposed to such adoptions and foreigners who will take advantage of the Madonna case to justify application and use the children for other vices."
Critics have accused Madonna of using her wealth to fast-track the adoption process.
The granting of the interim order, which enabled her to take David out of Malawi, sparked heated debate about adoption laws in a country where the number of orphans has hit the one million mark as a result of AIDS.
"She (Madonna) was putting it crudely. If we had no laws, how come she was asked to apply to the court to adopt a child. She used the same laws she is criticising to adopt David," Dorothy Nyasulu, chairperson of the state-sponsored Malawi rights commission, told AFP.
Nyasulu was reacting after the pop star told a news conference last week at the Cannes film festival in France that there were no adoption laws in Malawi, adding that she was the "template or role model, so to speak, for future adoptions."
Saying she was "happy to be the guinea pig", Madonna expressed hope that her full adoption of the African boy David Banda, whose final verdict will be made Wednesday, will make it easier for other people to adopt children in the impoverished country.
The commission, which gets its funding from the government, alongside the human rights consultative commmittee (HRCC), a coalition of 67 rights groups, are "friends of the courts" in a full review of an interim 18-month custody order granted to Madonna in 2006 to adopt David.
Nyasulu said Madonna was "not fair" in her remarks, insisting that Malawi had adoption laws, but not intra-country adoption.
"We want our adoption laws (to) conform to international human rights standards such as the convention on the rights of the child and the African charter on child rights," Nyasulu said.
Maxwell Matewere, a spokesman of the outspoken HRCC, earlier told AFP that his group expects Madonna to be subjected to "stringent regulations and procedures" in the full adoption of the toddler.
"Malawi needs to draw a clear picture and if not careful, we could lose some children in the process because other people might use the same laws to adopt children for illegal trafficking, sexual exploitation and child labour," Matewere said.
He said his commission was not "only looking at David, but other children who may be exposed to such adoptions and foreigners who will take advantage of the Madonna case to justify application and use the children for other vices."
Critics have accused Madonna of using her wealth to fast-track the adoption process.
The granting of the interim order, which enabled her to take David out of Malawi, sparked heated debate about adoption laws in a country where the number of orphans has hit the one million mark as a result of AIDS.
Tories back Malawi deal
A Tory government would give its "full support" to the Scotland-Malawi agreement instigated by Labour's Jack McConnell, a senior spokesman said.
Shadow international development secretary Andrew Mitchell told the party conference in Ayr the aid deal could be a model for other agreements.
The agreement sends Scottish know-how in areas such as health and education and economic development to Malawi.
Shadow international development secretary Andrew Mitchell told the party conference in Ayr the aid deal could be a model for other agreements.
The agreement sends Scottish know-how in areas such as health and education and economic development to Malawi.
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