Opposition and donors have heaped praise on Malawi’s President Bingu Mutharika for the way in which he runs the government, but his leadership has irked a group in his ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) who have held secret meetings to plan a demonstration at his Lilongwe state house.
Mutharika, who succeeded Bakili Muluzi after the controversial May elections, has vowed to prosecute corrupt officials.
In the past three months the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Ishmael Wadi, has arrested UDF deputy research director and former head of the state-run Shire Bus Lines Humphrey Mvula on corruption, fraud and tax evasion charges. He has also arrested senior party member and former minister Salim Bagus and UDF general secretary Kennedy Makwangwala for allegedly damaging the property of an independent parliamentarian. All three are out on bail.
Three other former ministers are also under investigation including former finance minister Friday Jumbe — implicated in a commission of inquiry report into the sale of the country’s strategic grain reserves. The maize scam was uncovered after the National Food Reserve Agency ran out of grain causing massive hunger towards the end of 2000.
The report, released at the end of August, also mentions Muluzi as having “entertained the mismanagement” by failing to discipline Jumbe, one of his closest political allies.
The arrests have sparked cries of a Mutharika political witch-hunt, a claim Wadi denies. “Malawi lost about 10-billion kwacha through fraud and corruption in the past decade.”
Muluzi, who hand-picked Mutharika as his successor, said in August: “I would not like someone to be harassing Malawians for whatever reason. People should not live in fear.” He said the government was not above the party that put the president in power.
But, since taking office Mutharika has drawn a line between party and state. He holds no position in the UDF, a party that political scientist Nixon Khembo said “Would not survive if Muluzi leaves. He has personally been funding the party and has provided resources for its survival.”
Mutharika has warned UDF parliamentarians not to frustrate his efforts to run the country; to which party stalwarts responded that they would not support the 2004/ 05 budget.
UDF deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza-Banda reacted angrily to these threats: “MPs could only reject the budget if it did not address the concerns of the poor.”
It appears that they’re taking note; Malawi’s 89,8-billion kwacha budget was passed by Parliament two weeks ago.
But tensions continue with some UDF parliamentarians indicating they will only attend caucus meetings called by Muluzi, the party’s national chairperson.
Political commentator Rafiq Hajat said: “This is a farce. It undermines the role of MPs. They are putting self-interest before the country. Parliament is a collective responsibility.”
Mutharika is standing firm, saying he will not shield Muluzi from being probed for his actions as head of state.
The party’s newsletter, UDF News, last week claimed that the Mutharika administration has an axe to grind.
“Despite the forced camaraderie displayed recently by Mutharika towards his predecessor and campaign financier Muluzi, we are not hoodwinked by a long shot that, in fact, Muluzi is being fattened for slaughter,” reads the comment. The paper said it had taken months for Mutharika to “grudgingly reaffirm his allegiance to the UDF”.
University of Malawi academic Boniface Dulani said: “It is now obvious that [Mutharika] is trying to distance himself from Muluzi. He does not need Muluzi’s support because, after five years, people are going to judge Mutharika not Muluzi.”