A Malawian opposition lawmaker said on Monday he has written to Parliament to withdraw a motion to impeach President Bingu wa Mutharika.
”I have decided to withdraw a motion to indict President Bingu wa Mutharika after realising that the whole impeachment is unpopular locally and internationally,” Maxwell Milanzi, an MP of the former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), led by retired president Bakili Muluzi, said in a letter to the speaker of Parliament.
”Impeachment is not in the interests of Malawians … it has not been wholly accepted by Malawians,” Milanzi said in the letter.
Parliamentary officials and leader of government in Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda confirmed receiving a copy of the letter, which was dated January 6.
”I am in official receipt of the letter from Milanzi’s decision to withdraw the indictment motion,” said Banda.
The move by Milanzi comes a week after Mutharika demanded that the opposition drop the impeachment bid against him to allow for ”fruitful dialogue”.
This was the first time Mutharika had set out conditions to the opposition who called for his impeachment for allegedly flouting the Constitution and using public resources to promote his newly formed party.
A Malawi court in October halted the impeachment proceedings against Mutharika following arguments by his lawyers that the move to oust him was illegal.
The impeachment bid started after Mutharika fell out with his mentor and predecessor Muluzi.
Mutharika, a political novice, left the UDF soon after it had backed him for president, and formed his own political group before instituting a sweeping anti-graft drive against Muluzi and his top aides. — Sapa-AFP