Bakili Muluzi’s K1.7 billion corruption case to be dropped; his son Atupele to be appointed 2nd Vice President, 3 more UDF MP’s as Ministers
LILONGWE (MaraviPost)—Few months after he ascended to the Malawi Presidency, Peter Mutharika is set to release a political bombshell that will more likely change the political landscape, MaraviPost can confidently reveal.
Our sources at state house have revealed that President Mutharika has been confused with the irresistible charm of Malawi’s self-styled political engineer—former President Bakili Muluzi—who has successfully manipulated the President to pave way for his son Atupele Muluzi to be President of Malawi.
Making his triumphant second arrival on Malawi’s political scene indirectly, Bakili Muluzi has successfully manipulated Mutharika to appoint his son Atupele Muluzi to be the second vice President of the republic of Malawi—a position provided in the republican constitution which was only occupied by late Chakufa Chihana of AFORD. Our source has indicated that the young Muluzi will be enjoying the same benefits as those enjoyed by State Vice President Saulos Chilima.
According to our source, this move by Mutharika to appoint Atupele Muluzi 2nd Vice President has not been welcomed within the rank and file of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and will likely going to spark divisions within the ruling party— reminiscent of the Joyce Banda time when she was Vice President under Bingu Wa Mutharika regime—as this impending move is seen to have been deliberately plotted in order to isolate Vice President Saulos Chilima who is viewed as a threat to the Presidency.
This controversial development will come barely days after Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale advised the speaker of National Assembly, Richard Mosowoya—that there is no problem with UDF members of Parliament to be sitting to the government benches in the chamber. Kaphale’s advice was well timed in order to send message to all and sundry that DPP and UDF will now be in a formal working relationship hence the appointment of Muluzi as Second Vice President and three more UDF Members of Parliament should not be seen as shocking to Malawians.
Finalizing the deal, our state house source has also confidently revealed that Bakili Muluzi persuaded President Mutharika to drop his corruption case where he (Muluzi) is accused of misappropriating K1.7 billion—about $11m (£7m) of funds from international donors to which Mutharika gave a resounding yes.
According to our sources, Jappie Mhango, Grace Obama Chiumia, Allan Chembekeza and few others are likely to be dropped from the yet to be announced cabinet which will officially place Atupele Muluzi as Second Vice President.
Analysis from Maravi Post’s Senior Political Correspondent
Dropping Bakili Muluzi corruption case
This move to drop the corruption case of Bakili Muluzi will continue sending a negative signal to our developing partners in the wake of the cash-gate scandal and any serious donor will see that Malawi is not ready to change for the better hence cant resume the much needed aid to revive our economy. Already, donors are not still satisfied with the efforts of the Mutharika administration to prosecute those involved in cashgate and likely, dropping the Muluzi corruption case will be adding salt to injury on the part of the donors.
Innocent Malawians will at the end of the day going to suffer the response from the donors of continuing withholding aid. The move will be a great disservice to the nation by President Peter Mutharika.
Appointing Atupele Muluzi as Second Vice President and three more UDF MP’s as Ministers
The move to appoint Atupele Muluzi as Second Vice President—who will be enjoying the same benefits as state Vice President Saulos Chilima will more likely attract wide condemnation at home and abroad.
Firstly, it will defeat the whole purpose of saving government monies by appointing a lean cabinet—a move which Mutharika received wide praise even to his political enemies when he appointed 20 ministers—himself and Vice President Chilima inclusive.
Whether Atupele Muluzi will be enjoying the same benefits as Chilima or not, the fact of the matter will be that more resources will be drained from government coffers which would otherwise be saved if Muluzi was not to be appointed to that position. So, what message will this send to developing partners; that we are a serious nation? Will they take us serious even if they wanted to give us a benefit of doubt considering what we have recently achieved as a nation—launching the civil service reforms Programme?
And let’s consider our economy where government is borrowing monies from Companies such as Mota Engil—injecting it into our economy to look as if our Kwacha has stabilized and that we are enjoying four months import cover when we are just cheating ourselves; will we not plunge our economy into abyss with such political move?
Note that according to the republican Constitution, section 80 (5), the President has powers to appoint a second Vice President when he considers it desirable in the national interest to do so. The key phrase here is ‘national interest’ and as it was the case with Chihana, the aim was to achieve unity which was challenged when Muluzi was in power.
Here is section, 80 (5) of the Malawi Constitution; “Where the President considers it desirable in the national interest so to do, he or she may appoint a person to the office of Second Vice-President and may do so upon taking his or her oath of office or at any time thereafter or upon a vacancy in the office of Second Vice-President; and, where no person has been appointed to the office of Second Vice-President then.
Upon reading this section, do you see the reason why someone, in his right mind would be manipulated to appoint Atupele Muluzi as second Vice President? To me, this simply shows that there is more than what meets the eye. Political engineer Bakili Muluzi is up to something not good for the nation at large.
Are we as a country currently divided that we need a certain political figure to be appointed in government so as to appease a certain quarter of the nation?
If that was the case, then the position would rightfully go to MCP President Lazarus Chakwera who amassed more votes than Atupele Muluzi during the 20th May 2014 elections. But even people from the central region—the stronghold of MCP are not threatening the unity of this country so far. So, to whose interest will this appointment going to be? The Mutharika/Muluzi Families or to Malawians?
Like it or not; this is a well calculated moved aimed at grooming the young Muluzi for the Presidency of this country. Unfortunately, it seems Malawians saw where it was written that the Muluzi and the Mutharika families are the only anointed families to lead Malawi.
Look, when this move is officially announced in the next few days; what do you think will be the obvious reaction from Vice President Saulos Chilima?
Well, your guess is as good as mine but unless otherwise for Chilima is considered by many as a smart guy—he may handle this soberly but if he will suspend his reasoning and react the way Amai Joyce Banda reacted when she was Vice President —then all hell will break loose. There will be free drama and am ready to enjoy it, are you?
Well, but this won’t be healthy for the nation for instead of concentrating on developing this already poorest nation on earth; then camps will emerge to start jostling for power.
But wait a minute, this is just 2015 and there are four more years remaining for Mutharika’s term with Chilima to come to an end. I cry for Malawi for she will remain underdeveloped as the elites will be busy jostling for power.
Now as for the three UDF MP’s to be appointed Ministers, well, it doesn’t matter to me and more likely it won’t matter to Malawians but appointing Atupele Muluzi as Second Vice President of the republic of Malawi will be a big political blunder. My judgment has it that the move will spark fire and unless otherwise, it will mark the downfall of the blue empire.