Smoke and Mirrors: The Kamuzu Palace ‘Damage’ Story That No One Can Verify

President Peter Mutharika’s relocation to Mtunthama State Lodge is fast turning into one of the most questionable narratives in Malawi’s new political chapter — a story riddled with contradictions, secrecy, and suspicious silence from those meant to tell the truth.

For weeks now, the public has been told that the official presidential residence, Kamuzu Palace, suffered “damage” so extensive that the Head of State could not move in.

Yet, not a single credible photo, technical report, or inspection summary has been made public to back that claim. Even worse, journalists who attempted to visit the site to verify the supposed destruction were turned away at the last minute saying the ‘person who had the keys wasn’t responding to calls.’

The Ministry of Information later said they will reschedule the tour but nothing, of salt, so far has come out.

If the palace is indeed damaged, what is government hiding? And if it is not, then what exactly is the real story behind this carefully curated narrative?

The Convenient Story No One Can Prove

In a brief statement to the media, Presidential Press Secretary Cathy Maulidi — notably, the same person who authored the original “damage” story published by Daily Times — claimed that the President is “temporarily residing at Mtunthama State Lodge pending assessment and rehabilitation of Kamuzu Palace.”

But the problem is glaring: the person publicly speaking for the President is also the one who initially reported the alleged palace damage. That dual role has drawn widespread concern from media circles and transparency advocates who see a clear conflict of interest.

How can Malawians trust a narrative whose author has now become its official spokesperson — and where all independent efforts to verify have been blocked?

Silence, Secrecy, and Shifting Explanations

The Ministry of Transport and Public Works, which was supposed to lead the technical assessment, has been tight-lipped. Its spokesperson, Watson Maingo, simply asked for “more time” when pressed for updates. Yet, almost a month since Mutharika took office, there is still no official report — not even a summary — explaining the scale or nature of the supposed “damage.”

Meanwhile, Maulidi’s language remains vague and unconvincing. She said only “essential repairs” would be carried out because of financial constraints — but what exactly needs repairing? Is it plumbing? Electrical? Structural? Security?

None of these questions have been answered.

And that silence is deafening — particularly when one considers that State House repairs, by law, fall under public expenditure that must be budgeted, audited, and accounted for.

A Narrative Crumbling under Scrutiny

During the transition period, rumours began circulating that Kamuzu Palace was “uninhabitable.” But officials from the former administration — including former State House Chief of Staff Prince Kapondamgaga — immediately rubbished the claim as “pure political propaganda.”

They insisted that the residence was fully functional and that any insinuation of massive damage was simply a smokescreen to justify Mutharika’s preference for operating from elsewhere.

The Malawi Congress Party, too, has dismissed the “damage” story, saying it was designed to frame the previous government as careless and corrupt — a narrative that could conveniently fit into Mutharika’s attempt to dramatize the scale of the “mess” he supposedly inherited.

Even Mutharika himself appeared to make light of the issue when he told supporters at Biwi Triangle that he was “rushing to look for accommodation.”

It was meant as a joke — but it now sounds like a confession that the whole episode might not be about damage, but about optics.

Public Deserves the Truth — Not a Script

National Advocacy Platform chairperson Benedicto Kondowe has rightly called for “transparency and accountability” in the handling of the State House issue. But so far, government has chosen opacity over openness, and narrative management over truth.

If the palace is indeed in disrepair, let Malawians see it. Let the Ministry release photos, engineering assessments, and cost estimates. If the problem is minor, let government say so. But if this is all political theatre meant to control perception and manipulate sympathy, then it is an insult to a nation already weary of deception.

A Palace of Secrets

Until government allows independent verification, the story of Kamuzu Palace “damage” remains what it has always been — a tale that stretches credibility, propped up by silence, and shielded by those who benefit from confusion.

Malawians have the right to know whether their State House is broken — or whether it is their trust in leadership that has truly fallen apart.

 

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