Chilima accuses Malawi ex-president Muluzi of threatening his life

The country’s estranged Vice-President Saulos Chilima has accused former president Bakili Muluzi, the country’s first multiparty president from 1994 to 2004,  of threatening his life.

Chilima, who also accused President Peter Mutharika of unleashing political violence ahead of the July 2 fresh presidential election to disenfranchise some voters, made claims on Muluzi during a rally which Tonse Alliance – an opposition coalition – addressed in Mzuzu on Sunday.

He said Muluzi, who stepped down in 2004 after serving as president for 10 years, told two of his friends to phone him that he should stop attacking the former president or else will deal with him.

“Let me tell you, you have no right over my life,” Chilima charged at Muluzi in a televised rally.

He said Muluzi is accredited for his role in championing democracy in the country and should let his son Atupele Muluzi campaign freely as President Peter Mutharika’s running mate and also encourage other competitors to do the same.

“If Muluzi want his son [Atupele] to become Vice President, let him just campaign, don’t stop people from campaigning in the eastern region,” he said.

Chilima continued: “We respect you [Muluzi] because we worked with you and you championed democracy in this country.”

He, however, said Eastern Region should not be a no-go zone area for other political competitors.

Chilima said UTM Patron Noel Masangwi and the party’s eastern region governor Alhaj Sande were attacked in Machinga.

“We should have issue based campaign not violence,” saidthe Vice-President who accused the UDF, which formed an electoral alliance with DPP, that it  has the tendency of fuelling violence against Malawians who support opposition political parties..

The Vice-President said he can seek the intervention of the International Criminal Court of Justice.

He asked Tonse Alliance supporters not to pelt stones at DPP-UDF alliance leaders

In his address, Chilima still promised that the alliance will provide cheap fertiliser, loans for youth.

He said promises from the UTM manifesto and MCP will be merged into one blue print.

“All government companies will start ticking again. I feel sorry that for five months, people at Mzuzu City Council have not been paid,” he said.

Chilima urged his supporters to take heart that he will not be Head of State and accept the decision to allow MCP’s Lazarus Chakwera to lead the alliance and be President.

“Paja ndimanena kuti ndimaganiza bhoo heavy, so tiyeni tisapote Chakwera,” he said.

He also thanked the judges who handkes the presidential elections case from constitutional court to the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal.

UDF secretary general Kandi Padambo defended UDF supporters, saying they subscribe to the values of the party which passionately believes in peace and unity.

Said Padambo: “Everybody knows that UDF president Atupele Muluzi has been condemning violence. We believe in issue-based politics. Malawians will testify that the UDF leader has been condemning violence.”

Chancellor College-based political scientist Mustafa Hussein has since warned that the violence may degenerate into chaos if it remains unchecked.

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