Mutharika family disavows inquiry on Bingu’s death
Family of late Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika on Thursday snubs a commission of inquiry instituted by President Joyce Banda to probe circumstances that led to his death saying they fear the
investigations will only drag the dignity of their late relative “into political duplicity that has nothing to do with establishing the truth”.
In a statement made available to Nyasa Times, the Mutharika family said it was shocked with President Banda’s decision to set up the commission of inquiry.
“We want to put it on record that we the bereaved family did not at any point request for a Commission of Inquiry and we will not be party to it,” said the statement.
“ Why would we do that when we know all the facts surrounding the death of our late beloved,” further reads the statement which has no signature but vouched by the late President’s brother Peter in an interview.
President Banda said the commission will among several areas investigate the circumstances leading to the death; the role some government officials and cabinet ministers played during transition in
the wake of reports of attempted coup during that period.
In an interview with Nyasa Time, Peter Mutharika said he just heard of the inquiry on the radio.
“I don’t even know what it is all about, I haven’t seen the TORs and I don’t think we need such an inquiry,” he said.
The statement further bemoans the tendency by some people whom the statement says held celebrations upon hearing President Mutharika’s death.
President Mutharika died on April 5 after a cardiac arrest but there have been controversies over the actual date of his death as some put it April 6 while others put April 7.
This followed attempts to conceal the death after soon after his death authorities flew his body to
South Africa.
It was believed that this was done to buy time to manipulate the constitution so that Mrs. Joyce Banda should not take over despite being backed by the Constitution being the first vice President of the
land then.
Justice Elton Singini is chairing the commission of Inquiry.
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