Misanet / The Chronicle, 18 January - Functionaries in Malawi's ruling UDF party say that ex-President Bakili Muluzi should be arrested and charged with treason for having planned to assassinate current President Bingu wa Mutharika. At a recent clandestine meeting between the two foes, called for by Mr Muluzi, four UDF members were arrested for carrying weapons.

Certain quarters in the split UDF party - who align themselves with President Mutharika - have expressed concern as to why Malawi's Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) is not charging former president Bakili Muluzi with treason. This should be done after President Mutharika at last week's press conference had revealed that meetings were being held at his residence to plan for his assassination.

Malawi's ruling UDF party is utterly split between followers of the party leader and ex-President on one side and President Mutharika on the other side. Ex-President Muluzi himself had insisted on being succeeded by Mr Mutharika, but is said to be disappointed after having lost influence over the new President and government and intimidated by the new anti-corruption campaign. A bitter power struggle has broken out.

The UDF officials in favour of President Mutharika are of the view that Mr Muluzi is the main culprit in the "treason saga", which saw four UDF functionaries being arrested for being found with weapons at Sanjika Palace. The four were however released a few hours later on instructions from the President, because he happened to be the host of the clandestine meetings.

One of the UDF functionaries close to the meetings said in an interview with 'The Chronicle' that the differences between party and government are between Mr Muluzi and President Mutharika. It was Mr Muluzi who is not comfortable with President Mutharika and he is the one "instigating the elimination" of the President.

- I think it is important that the nation knows it is Muluzi who called for the meeting to deal with [President Mutharika], the source told 'The Chronicle. "Therefore if there is anyone who should be arrested it is Muluzi and not the others because they were only following Muluzi's orders blindly, so to speak. Of course [Blantyre Mayor John] Chikakwiya was one of the most vocal in the meeting, apparently because of his recent arrest and charges of theft," said the UDF functionary.

UDF deputy director of research Humphrey Mvula, who was also mentioned by President Mutharika as one who has been holding meetings to the same effect, has denied allegations that he was part of the meetings that allegedly masterminded the plot to assassinate the President.

Mr Mvula in a statement said that the involvement of other people in the crisis would only make innocent people suffer, which as already seen, put in danger the lives of the innocent and the stability of the party.

The UDF official, who sought anonymity, said that one needs to read between the lines on what Mr Mvula has said. He added that Mr Mvula was putting it to the nation that if there have not been any plans to get rid of President Mutharika, then they are coming from the national chairman and no one else. As for the others who were mentioned, they are just scapegoats.

Sources in the government are saying that it is just a matter of time before ex-President Muluzi is arrested. A local newspaper has reported that Mr Muluzi is likely to be arrested any time over his Keza Office Park and that it is only because the Director of Public Prosecution's office has too much on its hands and a very few lawyers to prosecute cases that have flooded their office recently.

Mr Muluzi's spokesman Sam Mpasu said there is no need for his boss to be prosecuted because the alleged meetings never took place and he has made very clear that at no time did the former President have had intentions of assassinating President Mutharika.

The spokesman dismissed the allegations as a pack of lies created by Salim Bagus, who, until last week was the National Organisation Secretary of UDF. Mr Bagus was sidelined in the decision of who was to be the master of ceremonies for the aborted meeting between representatives of UDF leader Muluzi and those of President Mutharika at Sanjika.

Spokesman Mpasu said: "As far as I know, the only meeting that ever took place before the Sanjika one is the meeting at UDF headquarters in Limbe, which was meant to choose people who will speak at Sanjika and who will be the master of ceremonies. Because Bagus was never given any role he rushed to the President and fed him with the nonsense about the plans to assassinate him, which was never the case."

He ridiculed the plot saying, who in his wisdom can send the 70 year old Mr Thomson to carry out an assassination instead of hiring energetic young people who can be available at anytime? "It was Bagus who brewed up the nonsense about the assassination of the President. If anything it is Bagus who should be arrested for misinforming the President," Mr Mpasu said.

Mr Bagus has since been removed from the National Executive Committee of the party by a decision made last week. Davis Katsonga has been expelled from the party after suggesting that Mr Muluzi was instrumental in causing the power failure that embarrassed the President in front of his peers from Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania.

By Hopkins Mundango Nyirenda

© The Chronicle / afrol News

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