Bingu threatens Malawi opposition with arrest over leaked letters

Mvula:I have never been privy and part of the correspondence machinery between the two Excellencies

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has threatened to arrest opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders over leaked letters between the Head of State and his predecessor Bakili Muluzi.

In the correspondence now in public domain, the President accuses his predecessor of spreading many “lies” among other things that Mutharika is suffering from prostate cancer and in turn writes that he knows Muluzi is a sick man.

The former president pointed out in his reply that he has since being cured of disc problems which "came about because of the grueling campaign of 2004 that I had undertaken on Your Excellency’s behalf".

Mutharika through State House spokesman, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi said security forces are going to accuse the UDF-alliance spokesman Humphrey Mvula and the party leadership of being liable and responsible for the leaked documents.

Mtumodzi speaking on state radio, MBC said police will arrest Mvula on allegations that he leaked the documents which were first reported by the Weekend Nation newspaper and now posted on Nyasa Times website.

Mvula immediately dismissed State House threats and described the accusations as “frivolous, mischievous and a figment of imagination gone wild.”

“As Humphrey Mvula, I have never been privy and part of the correspondence machinery between the two Excellencies,” said Mvula. 

“I am neither Dr. Muluzi’s personal assistant nor do I occupy a position that could allow me access Dr. Muluzi’s personal correspondence. Besides, I am not an employee of the Office of the Former President; I am an individual member of the United Democratic Front (UDF),” explained the UDF director of research who is also accused in the letter by President Mutharika for spreading lies.

“The State House Press Officer Mr. Chikumbutso Mtumodzi has always amazed me by his ability to namedrop and accuse persons for happenings or incidents that those accused have no knowledge about. I am personally amazed by Mr. Mtumodzi’s ability to create a mysterious and morbid persona around my name, even over happenings that I have no knowledge about,” pointed out Mvula.

UDF-alliance spokesman caims that he is fully aware that Mtumodzi has been personally responsible for five of the eleven arrests that he has suffered since 2004.

“Therefore I am not surprised that he would make such a threat today and I would not be shocked when such a threat is executed.  

“However, I would challenge him to produce evidence that I am indeed responsible for the leakage of the said presidential correspondence, otherwise I reserve my right to sue Mr. Mtumodzi for character assassination; whatever the time it takes, one day justice will prevail,” said Mvula.

Billy Banda, executive director of Malawi Watch speaking on Day Break Malawi programme of Capital FM Radio called for “reconciliation” amongst the two leaders.

“The two leaders have not done fairness to our society. In the first place I think the letter from President to the former president has a lot to be desired and the tone itself has quite a number of issues that the society could not really like.,” said Banda.

He said the exchange of the letters is a sad development.