Atupele, eyeing Malawi presidency, formally sues foul-mouthed minister Uladi
Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi has finally launched formal legal proceeding against Malawi’s Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Uladi Mussa for calling him a “toddler”.
Mussa recently told Zodiak Broadcasting Station’s Tiuzeni Zowona programme that the Muluzi falsified his true date of birth and not fit to be the country’s president.
Muluzi, through lawyer Jai Banda, told Mussa to retract and apologize within five days but the Minister has vowed not to apologize saying this is part of politics.
He said Muluzi is a politician who is in public domain and can be discussed; questioning how many people he is going to sue in the run-up to 2014 tripartite elections.
Lawyer Jia Banda told Joy Radio that they have collected papers and that summons will be served to Mussa in the next few days.
Banda said Muluzi, who is UDF 2014 presidential candidate, feel the remarks by Mussa are defamatory and inserted a picture that he was a liar and not truthful about his date of birth.
He therefore said his client is claiming for damages for defamation, exemplary damages, aggravated damages and costs of the action.
Mussa has been telling Malawians at political rallies that Muluzi is underage, expressed ignorance of the letter and still maintained that he didn’t lie that Muluzi wouldn’t qualify for 2014 presidential race.
Some NGOs and activists among them Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and the Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) have condemned Mussa’s brand of politics.
“We take this opportunity to remind the PP that time to use castigation of political opponents to gain political mileage is over as Malawians are now interested on real policy issues. Malawians are interested to know how and when poverty will end and have their welfare improve. Malawians need well stoked and staffed hospitals,” CHRR warned recently.
However, PP deputy spokesman Ken Msonda is on record backing Mussa, saying his political tantrums will not dent the image of the party ahead of 2014 elections.
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