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Malawi army officers arrested on coup charges

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Thom Chiumia 13 May, 2008 01:31:00
image PMF: searched UDF office

At least six senior rank serving military officers have been arrested by Malawi police on allegations that they were planning a coup d'etat which President Bingu Mutharika has claimed former president Dr Bakili Muluzi masterminded.

Police have arrested Brigadier Chirwa, Major General Mituka and that they have closed in on Major General Kadzeya, former aide de camp of late Kamuzu Banda. Three other officers’ names could not be verified.

Police have also arrested former commissioner of police, Masoapyola who is now a member of opposition UDF.

They join others who were arrested earlier which included former Army General Joseph Chimbayo, former police Inspector General Joseph Aironi, UDF secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala and former Blantyre City Mayor John Chikakwiya.

Government is accusing them for "conspiring to plot a coup to overthrow the Mutharika government".

Dozens of armed to teeth Police Mobile Force (PMF) stormed UDF headquarters in Blantyre for searching led by deputy commissioner southern region Mulekano and CID head of Blantyre Mvula Yankunda.

UDF deputy secretary general Hophmally Makande confirmed in a telephone interview about the search and said PMF have confiscated two computers and two processors.

Makande said UDF believe President Mutharika is suffering from dictator Kamuzu Banda syndrome believing in intelligence, which tells him garbage.

"These are concoctions of parallels intelligence," said Makande.

He said UDF finds the move by government as "an act of aggression aimed at diverting attention from real issues."

"Malawi is gripped in a state of unconstitutionalism where the incumbent leadership does not respect the rule of law, does not respect parliament, does not respect the judiciary and has no respect for democracy," said Makande.

"The issues facing Malawi today are about governance, rule of law, observance of democracy and respect for the will of people," he said.

UDF deputy secretary general said Mutharika wants to divert attention on poor performance in the National Assembly as it is meeting unconstitutionally after failing to form a quorum and that appointments and bills were passed unconstitutionally.

Makande also said President Mutharika was under pressure on his covert relationship with Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe.

"He believes that UDF is against Mugabe and that we know he has supported Mugabe with food items and resources for survival," said Makande.

He also said UDF know that Mutharika would like to intimidate the former president Dr Muluzi currently in UK on private visit who was elected party presidential candidate for next year’s polls.

"Mutharika knows that he can not defeat Muluzi in an election and would therefore like to intimidate him so that he does not return to Malawi or develop cold feet. Such plans are bound to backfire and unite UDF and other opposition blocks," he said.

Makande said the party will hold a news conference in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, cabinets is reported in a meeting on a rethink for a declaration of a state of emergency and give Mutharika powers to rule by decree.

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Comments (16 posted):

Mkwita on 13 May, 2008 02:22:47
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* have always said and will continue to say that Bingu will bring chaos to our once peaceful country.What sort of leader thinks that he is the only one that knows best? A Dictator.
Cry my beloved Malawi
mavuto akula on 13 May, 2008 02:43:44
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If this is true then welcome to a Zimbabwe II. Our Kwacha, with these developments, will start to go down until we have an economy and inflation like that of Zimbabwe. A state of emergency for what? What has gone wrong? The only thing which needs a state of emergency is the heard of Munthalika not the Malawi nation. Chilumpha is languishing with a tramped up treason case now Muluzi and all the Officers arrested. What a mess Munthalika is creating for himself. Munthalika we are tired you must GO GO GO GO !!!!!
DISGRUNTLED MDF OFFICERS on 13 May, 2008 03:49:38
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A PULEZIDENTI,APA NDIYE MWAONETSERATU KULEPHERA KWANU PA NDALE.NGATI MWATOPA NDI KULAMULA MUKADANGOSIYIRA WENA KUTI ALAMULE DZIKOLI CHIFUKWA MWAYAMBAZI NDIZIJA ZIMAYAMBITSA NKHONDO YACHIWENIWENI MDZIKO.MABWANA A KU MALAWI DEFENCE FORCE MWAWAMANGAWO, PALIBE CHOWE CHIKUWAKHUDZA AYI PAZOLANDA BOMAZO.IFE AMENE TAKONZA ZOLANDA BOMA TILI PHEE! INU MUKULIMBANA NDI OSALAKWA. MUWATUMENSO AKAZITAPE ANUWO AKAYAMBIRENSO MWINA ANGADZIWE ENI AKE OMWE AKONZA ZOLANDA BOMAWO. PANOPA TISINTHA SITILANDANSO MWAMTENDERE KOMA MWANKHONDO KUYAMBIRA KUPHA INUYO BWANA. CHIFUKWA PAFUPIFUPI THEKA LA ASILIKALI A MALAWI DEFENSE FORCE KUPHATIKIZAKO THEKA LA THEKALO ALI OKONZEKEKA KUGWIRA NTCHITO IMENEYI.NGAKHALE MUNAKONZA MA PLAN OTI MUGULIRE MAGALIMOTO MAOFESALA ONSE OMWE NDI MA LIEUTENANT COLONEL, MA PLAN AMENEWO MUSIILETU.kUMENEKO NDIYE KUONONGA NDALAMA ZA BOMA.NTCHITO YOMWE MUKUFUNA AKAGWIRITSIRE MAGALIMOTO ONSEWA ILI KUTI?MUSAWAMATE PHULA MMASO MABWANA ATHUWA AYI KUTI ADZITI NDINU WABWINO.APA TAWONA NDIPO TATSIMIKIZA KUTI INU BWANA PULEZIDENTI NDINU OLEPHERA.SIMUKUKHWANA KUKHALA COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WATHU AYI. MUKUCHEPERA KABA.CHENJEZO LATHU LOMALIZA NDI LOTI NGATI MABWANA MWAWAMANGA OSALAKWAWO SIMUWAMASULA POFIKA MWAWA DZUWALIRI PAMUTU, TIYAMBIRA KUSASULA A POLISIWO NGATI MOMWE TIDAPHWASULIRA MYP.POSAFUNA KUONJEZA GAGA MDIWA,TANGONENANI CHATSITSA DZAYE KUTI NJOVU ITHYOKE MNYANGA.ZOONADI AKULU AKALE SADANAME KUTI NKHUYU ZODYA MWANA ZIPOTA AMAKE.A MALAWI ANZANGA,KHALANI OKONZEKA POTI CHAKUDZA SICHIIMBA NG'OMA.
Mbadwazenizeni on 13 May, 2008 04:13:03
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Koma uku nde kutha ma plan. whom do they think they are fooling? Malawians know that Bingu would like to rule this country by his own wish. these plans will definately backfire! the more you arrest the opposition the more support it will gain. MORE FIRE OPPOSITION!!!!!
zagwa on 13 May, 2008 07:19:25
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We have always been a pece loving nation and we are very peaceful and this bingu thinks we are ****** he can push us the people of malawi around with his daughter bedding al qaeda members its not surprising he is trying to divert peoples attention by arresting our distinguished officers in army so that he can bring his mate mugabes terror squad. Mr president * think its about time you stepped down as it shows that your cancer has spread to your brain and its affecting your judgement and these actions clearly show that you aint one of us peace loving malawians ngati ntchitoyi yakukulilani ingoitulani
me man on 14 May, 2008 05:34:04
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Folks, stop talking rubbish. If those guys are arrested and being investigated let the officers carry out their duty until proven otherwise. Trying to topple a lawfully constituted Government is criminal and a threat to peace of a nation. Just declare your interest otherwise you're over reacting. Whats wrong wit you, uh?
achikulire on 14 May, 2008 08:01:46
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"WE HAVE ENJOYED PEACE SINCE 1964, TOUGH DISTURBED IN 1994. HOWEVER, IN MATTERS OF TREASON AND ABDICATION WE SEEK JUSTICE LET IT BE DONE"
BEHIND THE ENEMY LINES on 14 May, 2008 09:58:08
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DAMN!!! whom do you think u are ? do you know really what ARMY is ? * guess u gat to ask the MYP uh? live for nothing and we die for smthing . ****!MDF has been peace makers since it was born 'KINGS AFRICAN RIFLES" and we always protect our people as . SO MANY DAMN **** THAT HAS BEEN HAPPEN in this country by the so called politicians but ARMY never talk anything since we know we are not politicians ! NOW u have taken our officers , u better release them before NKHALA KALE zisanakwiye! AHHHHH inu zo ono ALAIYILA atilowe chonchi? watch out malawi THIS ISNT SOUND COOL .....!!!
leonard maseko on 14 May, 2008 01:59:16
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What has befallen our country? It looks like people in key governance positions such as national intelligence have forgotted their responsibilities. Iam not gainst them advising the president, but * would appreciate if they could advise him professionally without bias or malice against certain quarters of the country. The intelligence system in the country must provide the president fully espionaged,spied and carefully investigated intelligence information to avoid people making decisions that may cost the country alot. It must also be aware of what kind of a person it is dealing with considering that it can easily influence this person to blow issues out of proportion. In any country, intelligence helps the country to know its enemies and friends, but here it sounds not right to assume the same. Let us build the country and not tear it apart. It will be very costly to our children and their children to rebuild it if we make a unnecessary mistakes now. Lets us not view Malawi as belonging to only a few individuals. Each one of us is responsible to ensure that Malawi forges ahead.
Andowa on 14 May, 2008 04:55:22
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* was supporting the way this guy was running the country, but * feel bad for him, because it seems he'* lost his mind. If he'* doing this in his 1st term, what will he do in his second, if re-elected that is?
VICENT GAMA on 14 May, 2008 08:34:29
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It is paining to see your father being taken away by an enemy from the next village.If you attack that village like the way you attacked the other village people will say you are brutal. But what do you lose to rescue your father and people call you brutal. 1993 it was the death of a private soldier, this time its the life of a trained GENERAL which is at stake. Malawi we love you but don'* push us that far. lives of innocent citizens will be lost. Help the noble soldier to behave. This is not a threat but tears of a soldier.
Geoffrey Perekamoyo on 16 May, 2008 03:15:09
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There is validity in the story which will come at the end of the day. The other thing is we have recycled leaders who have run the government from MCP, UDF time and they always feel they have to stay in power, what a shame. Should we say Malawi only has them who can rule this country or should we say because they are always greed for wealth and power. AMusiye nzawo alamurire without hiding at the back of section 65. This section has to be scrapped off It could have been better if recall provision was set so that this fullishness in parliament stops. * stay in a constituent being represent by a UDF member in his time * have never seen him address a rally and informing the populace what is to happen in parliament all * hear is his rubbish noise saying the local populace have been consulted. * think he consults his family. We need leaders who are capable of saying the truth and have the heart and the will to serve the people not those who are bent on getting what their greed leaders instruct them to do. Let Bingu rule peacefully and if you want to remove him wait for 2009. We need a peaceful Malawi as we are used to.
zuzunde on 19 May, 2008 10:36:33
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HEHEDE!Malawi where are u going,Section 65 itikang'anthadi.
shasha on 28 June, 2008 02:01:12
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If Bingu wa Mtalika is ruling Malawi today, it is because of Muluzi. Muluzi created that problem. He gave us a person whom he knew was not a right person to rule our nation. Deal with Muluzi first and then the President. Muluzi'* brutality is affecting our natin today. Tha is why we are seeing all these things. Weren'* there good people in UDF to take over from him. What was wrong with him to intrioduce an ope term and thord term which both of them failed. If Malawi is being ruled by Bingu today, it is because of Muluzi'* brutality.
jorge on 07 July, 2008 02:51:02
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Bingu do what you know that good but TAKE CARE NOT CARELESS
Fulumilani on 07 July, 2008 06:12:31
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A Jorge mwachokela kuti? Your name is Portuguese. Nkhani mwalemba iyi anthu akudikila umboni basi. They will be arrested for sure if they have increaminating evidence. Treason is a serious offence Bingu knows he can not be careless otherwise he will pay these guys millions. * belive Chiziko and senior officers in the Army are behind this. What a sham idea that these people fooled the President. Wadi and Kaliwo suuferred immediate dismissals why not these kalipo-kalipo. GOD KNOWS BEST.
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