Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika on Thursday accused his predecessor of complicity in a plot by his own party to assassinate him — but said he forgave all those involved.
Former president Bakili Muluzi’s spokesperson and a representative of the governing United Democratic Front (UDF) rejected the claim as outrageous.
Three senior ruling-party officials were charged with treason on Wednesday after they tried to bring handguns into a Monday meeting with Wa Mutharika aimed at resolving a deepening rift between the president and his party. Another official was charged on Thursday after police found three knives in his vehicle.
Wa Mutharika told journalists the plot was discussed at a meeting at Muluzi’s residence a few days before Monday’s aborted encounter.
”Those people who would come for the meeting would be assigned specific tasks,” Wa Mutharika said at a news briefing in the capital, Lilongwe.
”Someone would say something rude to the president to disrupt the meeting. In the fracas, someone would fire in the air, and then someone was also probably assigned to fire at me.”
Wa Mutharika said he was tipped off ahead of time. Deputy Transport Minister Roy Coomsey, parliamentarian Alfred Mwechumu and Harry Thomson, a member of the UDF national executive, were searched as they arrived and found with handguns.
They were initially charged with conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and released on bail, but were rearrested on Wednesday and charged with treason. They said in a statement they regularly carry firearms for self-defence.
Long knives known as pangas were also found in the vehicles of some other party officials, including Jordan Kanyelele, prosecutors said. Kanyelele was arrested on Thursday and also charged with treason.
But Wa Mutharika said he is dropping all charges and releasing the men.
”I decided that these people should be forgiven,” he said. ”But this does not diminish the gravity of the situation.”
The president blamed the alleged plot on souring relations with Muluzi, who hand-picked Wa Mutharika to succeed him last year.
Wa Mutharika said Muluzi thought he could control him.
”But when he discovered I am not the puppet he thought I would be, that’s where the problems started,” Wa Mutharika said.
Muluzi’s spokesperson Sam Mpasu said it is ”an outrageous accusation”.
”The former president would never, ever plan to kill his own boy,” he said. ”However, the UDF party will be meeting to discuss the issue.”
Ruling-party spokesperson Salule Masangwi accused Wa Mutharika and his allies of a political witch-hunt.
”These senior people have licences for their guns,” Masangwi said. ”How can they plan to kill a UDF-sponsored president?”
Wa Mutharika came to power in a turbulent May election marred by opposition allegations of vote-rigging that set off violent clashes in and around the capital.
He has since angered members of his party by embarking on an anti-corruption drive, arresting senior members of Muluzi’s administration.
Muluzi, the UDF national chairperson, has formed a committee to negotiate with Wa Mutharika to end their disagreements. Monday’s meeting with lawmakers, ministers and party officials was part of that process. — Sapa-AP