Police probes Mpinganjira over Bingu allegations

Malawi Police are investigating possible leads to arrest opposition politician Brown James (BJ) Mpinganjira (pictured) on allegations that he convinced Mozambique President Armando Guebuza to order his government to withdraw cooperation with Malawi on the Shire Zambezi Waterway project.

Government insiders say President Bingu wa Mutharika told his ruling DPP party caucus of members of parliament and cabinet ministers that his government might abandon his much covetted waterway project. The project is carried would provide a direct waterway transport system between Nsanje in Southern Malawi and the port of Chinde in Mozambique.

Sources say Mutharika alleged that Mpinganjira is planning to marry a sister to Mozambique’s President Guebuza and had met the Mozambique leader to convince him to stop his government’s cooperation with Malawi on the project.

“The President also accused BJ of playing a role in convincing Mozambique not to release fuel bound for Malawi, and thereby causing the shortage in Malawi,” said the source who attended the caucus meeting.

Police were meanwhile investigating Mpinganjira and other opposition politicians on these matters.

The source said President Mutharika is trying to find justification for the project which many now consider a “white elephant”.

“He is trying to accuse Mpinganjira to save face,” said the source, a senior member of the DPP from the northern region who opted for anonymity.

He said the President was trying to find a “scape-goat” over fuel shortages in Malawi and the failure of the Nsanje port project from taking off.

Mpinganjira could not be reached for comment.

Other source say the President’s remarks have been leaked to Mozambique authorities who are incensed with the “diplomatic blunder”.

Meanwhile, a government official in Nsanje said government has started withdrawing graders which were working there for the waterway project.

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