UN’s Ban Ki-Moon plane lands in Malawi for refueling

UN secretary general Ban Ki- Moon was in Malawi on Sunday night when his plane had an emergency landing at Kamuzu International Airport in the capital  Lilongwe when it  reportedly run out of fuel.

Ban was on his way to South Africa.

President Peter Mutharika swiftly sent agriculture minister George Chaponda and scores of police for the security of the UN chief.

Information minister Patricia Kaliati said Ban did not have a scheduled meeting with any government official.

“President Mutharika sent the Agriculture minister just for protocol, to be with him when his plane was being refueled, they did not hold diplomatic discussions,” said Kaliati.

Ban spent close to an hour at the Malawi main  airport.

The UN chief first arrived in Malawi five years ago when he secured the release of two gay men Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga,  who were arrested after celebrating their engagement in a traditional ceremony in Blantyre.

They were tried and found guilty of sodomy and indecency then sentenced to 14 years.

But the then president Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned them on “humanitarian grounds” after he held a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.