Malawi Speaker risks arrest

The Speaker of Parliament, Richard Msowoya risks facing arrest for allegedly aiding two Parliamentarians and fellow party members, Peter Chakhwantha and Jessie Kabwila to escape police arrest on ‘WhatsApp coup plot’ charges.

Kabwila, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Parliamentarian for Salima North, was arrested Monday while trying to seek refuge  at  German Embassy in the capital Lilongwe.

While Lilongwe South West MP Peter Chakhwantha managed to escape the arrest and only handed himself  to police on Tuesday.

Information Nyasa Times has sourced and confirmed by the law-enforcers, Msowoya’s arrest is imminent on the charge of aid and abetting under Section 21(a) and (c) of the Penal Code.

Police spokesman Nicholous Gondwa said could not comment to avoid pre-empting.

He however said obstruction of justice is an offence.

Msowoya, who is also vice president of MCP,  resisted attempts to be drawn into the issue of whereabouts of Kabwila and Chakhwantha when queried by Parliamentarians.

However, the MCP vice president is said to have helped the two evade the police who had mounted a roadblock near Parliament, by providing refuge within Parliament building as well as offering his official vehicle which it was used to ferry Kabwila and Chakhwantha to German Embassy to seek protection.

Kabwila, MCP Publicity Secretary and Chakhwantha were spirited away  from the precincts of Parliament allegedly using Msowoya’s official vehicle.

But police managed to arrest Kabwila outside the German Embassy, some 500 metres from Parliament as she attempted to seek protection.

She was granted bail later on treason charge.

A Malawian law scholar at university of Cape Town, Danwood Chirwa said as long as Parliament is in session, Kabwira and all other MPs cannot be arrested because they have parliamentary immunity, whether they happen to leave Parliament temporarily or not

“They could be arrested after this session ends and when they leave parliamentary premises. There is no basis for their arrest,” said Chirwa.

Kabwira alongside MCP legal adviser Louis Chakhwantha, Ulemu Msungama are accused of treason and sedition following the leakage of that Whatsapp conversation which reportedly was plotting insurrection for regime change.

The discussion allegedly centred on inciting protest actions and work stoppages.