Gloves off! – APM brands Chakwera ‘king of thieves’

“You called me Prince of Thieves …now you are “King of Thieves”

Fresh President Election (FPE)-ousted Malawi leader Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) has branded President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera a ‘king of thieves’ for allegedly overseeing the plunder of Covid-19 funds amounting to K23 billion.

The visibly bitter APM claimed corruption has worsened under the watch of the Tonse Alliance government, a government he also described as illegitimate and that it must go forthwith.

The former Head of State made the scathing remarks during a press briefing he held at his retirement home in Mangochi yesterday.

DPP Regional Governor for the South, Charles Mchacha, Zeria Chakale, Chimwemwe Chipunga, Imran Shareef and George Chaponda were among the top party officials that attended the presser.

Mutharika challenged that although the Tonse Government has been accusing DPP of theft of public resources, the incumbent administration cannot quote any amount of money, which the DPP Government and its officials stole from Treasury.

“In less than one year however, everyone knows that Dr Lazarus Chakwera, the MCP and their Tonse Government have stolen K23 billion that was intended to save Malawian lives from the COVID-19 pandemic. This K23 billion does not include other corrupt transactions and systematic plunder outside the COVID funds. Malawians now know who the real thieves are in this country,” he said.

Mutharika also repeated his over-sung claim that the then opposition had conspired with the Judiciary to usurp power from him.

The US-perfected law professor claimed Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the government have resumed its repressive tactics of dictatorship, which Malawians fought and conquered in 1994.

He alleged that the repressive laws have been designed to legitimize the oppression, which he said is dangerous because Malawi may soon become a dictatorship by law.

“MCP Government has abandoned the rule of law and resumed arbitrary use of power to persecute people whom they find to be political threats. A classic example is that Dr Chakwera directed his government to freeze all bank accounts of Former President Peter Mutharika when the Former President has not committed any crime and is not answering any charges. Can Government explain to Malawians why it has frozen bank accounts of the Former President if they are not simply using arbitrary power to persecute its political opponents?” asked Mutharika.

But speaking at a weekly briefing at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe this morning, State House Director of Communications, Sean Kampondeni, said the State House will not respond to some issues Mutharika raised during his yesterday’s press conference.

Kampondeni said some of the issues APM raised were personal in nature.

He also dismissed claims by Mutharika that the Tonse Alliance leadership does not have a policy direction for this country.

Kampondeni highlighted a number of policies given by the current administration, including policies on Covid-19 fight, mining and public sector reforms.

“Mutharika has just to pay attention to appreciate the policies,” he said.

The Sunday’s presser was Mutharika’s third interaction with the media since he was voted out of the government in a court-ordered election on June 23, 2020.

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