Ben Phiri was making rounds on Zodiak radio and other media outlets yesterday claiming he had resigned as personal assistant to Malawi President Peter Mutharika effective June 1st, 2015. MBC radio however very quickly denied the story and confidently announced that Ben Phiri had not resigned.
MBC is a government owned station, both radio and TV and thus many people started to believe that Ben Phiri was playing the Media in a scheme of high stakes known only to him and the President of Malawi Peter Mutharika.
When Maravi Post reached out to State House Press Secretary Gerald Viola, he curiously said he did not have details of the resignation. Later in the day he basically said Ben Phiri had not resigned.
Many observers now believe Ben Phiri who has been in the news lately might have been playing a joke to get back at his critics and show that he has not lost the confidence of the one person who counts, President Peter Mutharika.
Phiri, who has been the President’s aide since 2007, said in the interview that now appears to have been some kind of setup that two issues have prompted him to call it quits. The first being corruption allegations and secondly, suggestions that he was manipulating and influencing President Peter Mutharika.
He said some critics were equating him to a prime minister who called the shots from behind the scenes.
Phiri said on Tuesday that he has resigned to pave way for investigations into multi-billion kwacha assets that he is widely believed to own.
Earlier the Maravi Post reached a knowledgeable source who cautioned that even If Ben had resigned, He was going to still continue to wield influence over Peter Mutharika and nothing much was going to change.
Ben Phiri is known to worship the ground Peter Mutharika walks on. It is believed his sole purpose in life is to serve and please Peter Mutharika. While this plays out resign or not resign, those that might have rejoiced prematurely at the demise of Ben Phiri should take note that he will live to serve and protect Peter Mutharika, a mission Ben Phiri has undertaken for life.
