Cilic calls for stop of Muluzi prosecution
Malawi’s leading human rights organization, Civil Liberties Committee (CILIC) has called for an end to prosecutions against Muluzi, saying it is a futile exercise that does not benefit the people.
Cilic executive director Emmie Chanika told a local radio station that she fears the corruption charges arrayed against Muluzi is a smokescreen for politically-inspired motives by President Bingu wa Mutharika.
The award-winning libertarian has broken ranks with other rights-based institutions by speaking out on what could be seen by Mutharika as support for Muluzi and therefore a target for vilification.
The civil society which had been vibrant in speaking for the “voiceless” pledged loyalty to Mutharika in 2005 fell into deafening silence, openly refusing to criticize government excesses but attacking the opposition in violent demonstrations at Parliament premises worst, becoming nothing more than a political extension of the government.
“The focus today is on the case involving former president Dr. Muluzi, as Cilic, we’re saying let bygones be bygones and we forge ahead because I don’t think the case is being pursued in the interest of natural justice.
“The man is sick and the continued harassment by the government is degenerating into unnecessary political tension,” explained Chanika who was Muluzi’s strongest critic during his 10 year rule.
Chanika’s resolute demand may have been drawn from her experience as one of the commissioners of the infamous Mwanza 4 probe in which three cabinet ministers and one law-maker in the one-party government of dictator Kamuzu Banda were victims of foul-play by politicians and police resulting in the extra-judicial killings in May 1983.
Muluzi’s prosecution comes hot on the heels of a leaked telephone recording of a conversation between Mutharika and sacked Anti-Corruption Bureau chief Gustav Kaliwo, to ’shake up’ the former president.
“He (Muluzi) is the one who started. I said alright, you must stop this nonsense about impeachment…But he has not listened so he must know what government is…” Mutharika was heard talking to Kaliwo who during the conversation promised the president to keep him posted on developments of cases that he would fabricate against Muluzi.
The corruption charges laid against Muluzi are not the easiest to conclude as foreign governments named as sources of the funds in question have said the funds were not for government as such but to the president of the United Democratic Front, the ruling party at the time.
Mutharika has also received funds from disgraced former president of Taiwan Chen Shui bian amounting to USD10 million during a visit to the island nation. It is reported that an aide cheated him out of other proceeds in 2005.
He also fell out with a cabinet minister who disappeared with US$40 million from the People’s Republic of China as a donation to his party two years ago.
The subsequent trial by jury found the murder and conspiracy suspects, Kamuzu and John Tembo, not guilty after months of state expenditure and threat of nation fragmentation due to what was seen as political interference and regionalism surrounding the case.
It became increasingly clear that Muluzi’s administration would not gain any mileage from the trial of Kamuzu. When Judge Mackson Mkandawire read the jury verdict of not guilty, Muluzi quickly directed that the state appeal be dropped.
Kamuzu died in 1997 and was accorded a state funeral and full military honors. It was probably a reminder that a minority voice cannot be ignored since Kamuzu got 37 percent of the vote in the 1993 national referendum on the question of whether the country should continue with one-party government or adopt multiparty.
Muluzi has found an unlikely ally in Chanika who was a fearless campaigner of governance and was thorn in his presidency between 1994 and 2004.
Chanika’s call for the government to drop Muluzi charges comes amid growing tension following ACB’s decision to seize his property including his private BCA residence and all personal vehicles he acquired during his 10-year stint as president.
Muluzi was scheduled to leave the country last Wednesday for United Kingdom but his trip was delayed after the ACB seized his travel documents claiming they had information from anonymous sources to the effect that the former president would not come back home.
Tagged with: ACB, Bingu, Cilic, Emmie Chanika, Muluzi, Nampota
Kodi a Chanika wo ndiye kuti ndiwolemera? She looks so poor to me. Osabapo ndalama za CILIC bwanji aone chinameta nkhanga mpala. Why should people like Muluzi become rich overnight by stealing poor people’s money while Chanika remains poor yet she can also steal CILIC money? I believe Chanikayo nayenso amaba ndalama za CILIC otherwise no one would accept that. Muluzi should face the law. Muluzi is not sick, akanakhala akudwala bwenzi atapita kale ku UK kwakeko. He is not sick, kunali kuthawa kumeneko. Moyo wako munthu suungauseweretse chonchi ayi. Sakudwala ameneyo.
So, let me get this right, politicians can now get away with breaking the law. If they are prosecuted just like any other Malawian, it is now called politically-inspired prosecution?
What is going on with these bodies. Do you know a thing called the law, the courts. When anyone breaks the law they must prove themselves innocent in a court of law. If Muluzi was an ordinary Malawian, he would have been in jail by now.
Please do not hide behind politics. Let the law take its course, if he is innocent the courts will exonerate him and he will get back his property. If he is found guilty then he must pay the same price like any other citizen of land. I do not see any politics in that.
ummm….quick question. What part of the law condones what has been happening to Muluzi? Attempts (guided by facts obviously)by the ACB to seize his vehicles (or should i say his wifes vehicles?…ooops). No? Well maybe taking away his passport when attempting to go on a medical trip… (as he has done many a time)…hey? That sounds very ethical to me… No? The government has an obligation to lead from the front with regards to polical issues and the tone with which tense political situations are dealt with. Somehow i don’t think this new government has quite managed that. Please! Open your eyes.
If “ordinary people” like you say would have been jailed already, then we would be living in a country where all it takes to be jailed is a certain political leaders (who happens to now be president)will to put a person behind bars. there is no conclusion to Muluzi’s trial is there? So where do these actions stem from? It’s like the Scorpians in SA. They eventually had to be disbanded because of the amount of corruption and their use as a political tool. Well,i guess the ACB has a nice blueprint to work with now. Open your eyes people, before they are shut down permanently for you. these actions are not in line with a modern day democracy.
Malizani, I agree with you. If Dr. Muluzi feels that he is being harassed let him complain to the right organization like the courts and the like.
Fine let them do what they can do but they should also know that we are not just watching,if these continues then I dont see any option than BLOOD SHED to rescue the former president.
And once more if anything happens to the former president on his health then he will not be alone some members will follow.
Already the many in question the said countries have said that the money was meant for the president of the United Democtratic Front who was the president of Malawi the time the money was given. WHAT ARE YOU UP TO ?
We have the recordings of the conversations that were taking place btwn the former ACBs and the President Bingu and even you the current one.NAMPOTA & YOUR COMPANY TOGETHER WITH BINGU WE ARE GIVING YOU AN EYE.
mjomba jumo,
low pressure, sitinjenjemera ndi zozizira.
Ndiye Mjomba Jumo you think we will be intimidated because your so called Bloodshed.That will not stop Malawian knowing the truth.Muluzi should come to the open and tell the Malawians the accountability of k1.7 billion otherwise people will no leave the stone unturned until they know the whole truth.After all these are elected on those high posts to save the interest of a common man.On their own they can’t be called presidents.
Malamulo at its best.He is being taunted by the very laws of thr land osati kumuzunza ayi.If it were not for the same laws mlanduwu ukanatha kale.Koma ma injunction thoooo.Lero ndi izo ma disk avuta.Ikakhala ya DVD timangotaya.He hey take cover.
A Chanika fight for the case to end ma injunction onse asakhalepo apite akayankhe mlanduwo.If he did not steal thats ok koma ngati ananyambita he has dug his own grave.
A Chanika mwaiwala mmene anakugwetserani ku Comesa Hall anyamata a YD.It was bad.
Kodi Che Mate chikuvuta apatu ndi umboni. Poti achAyini ake amene anapereka ndalamazo akukana kuti sizinali zaboma zinali za UDF. IT WOULD BE WISE HAD IT BEEN THAT THE UDF IS THE ONE ASKING THIS MONEY.
Mayi ngati pali munthu wosapenya ndiyetu ndinu. siuja anakuthibulani ku Comesa mavoti oberedwa aja chaka chijachi,mwayiwala eti? anthuwa onse ndi akatakwe asiyane athane makhoti aliko alongosola kuti wolakwa ndani. Acheya amati lero ngati munthu mawa chigawenga anthu achoncho ndiosapanganika. Aboma asayiwale kuti come 2014 nawonso milandu yawo yizafukulidwa chifukwa kulemeraku kwaposa ndalama zadziko lino tikayelekeza ndi nthawi ali pa mpando.
Iwe Yabu Fiti ya Thyolo.
Siya kuseweretsa moyo wa mzako.
AYahu, mudzikhala ngati munabadwa kuchokera pa mzimayi. You have shown kuti ndiwe mfiti. Do not forget that the money used is tax payers money. Mwina iwe you do not pay tax that is why you do not appreciate Chanika’s point. Ife tax payers join Chanika that indeed this is a waste of Tax payers money chasing a none catcher. Chachikulu ndi kuzunza kuti andimve ine. Akakumvani ndiye mupindula chiani apart from gaining little respect from Malawians. Malawians are watching, and watching keenly. Malawians are no longer docile as we might think it will only take an incident of 06 May 1992 to change things. Kaya munalipo?
Chanika is just showing the other side of her life as a human being although she is a property grabber (amakonda deceased estate kwambiri ndi kuzunza ana amasiye azibale ake. Koma mwina munthu ndi munthu saipa zonse nanga the awardees do not see the other side of life ndiye choncho.
Leave Muluzi to enjoy his retirement. He fought a good fight that he demands respect unless Malawians prefer dictators?
nose abingu mudzona mwayesa ndinu olungama
ha!Ha ha Ha! AChanika mwa tani kodi lero? I thought it was you who said drugs are not there is hospital? food is not there in Malawi? where do you think money was going? Now somebody is trying to get that and give a report and you are saying lero kuti ayi? Ndagoma nanu a Chanika.