Mutharika told to return Area 10 house bought illegally
Leader of former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), now opposition, Peter Mutharika has been asked by the Civil society organisations (CSOs) to honourably return the Area 10 house to Lilongwe City Council which he obtained illegally.
Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola on Thursday told Parliament that Mutharika obtained the Area 10 house undervalued price and without following procedures.
But Mutharika – who was accused of being a master in State assets stripping during the DPP rule – claimed he followed all necessary procedures to get the house.
In a statement issued at a news conference in Lilongwe on Saturday, CSOs under the Forum for National Development called for the return of all houses government said some people, including Mutharika, obtained illegally during the DPP rule.
The CSOs said the houses should be returned to government in light of revelations that they were bought fraudulently.
“These houses were wrongly obtained. They were wrongly bought in terms of prices. We want Professor Peter Mutharika’s house at Area 10 to be given back to Lilongwe City Council.
“We are going to have tripartite elections next year which means that Lilongwe will have a mayor. The house which Peter Mutharika bought is the one which used to be the mayor’s house in Lilongwe City. Where will the new mayor stay next year?” said the forum’s chairperson Bright Kampaundi.
The forum has also asked for further into the houses scam during DPP rule alongside cash-gate scandal at Capital Hill which started in 2005.
“There are so many houses which were wrongly bought in several locations like Area 3 and Area 12 by politicians and civil servants,” said Kampaundi.
Mutharika remains adamant that he will not return the house arguing he acquired a lot of properties during DPP rule by following proper procedure.
