Malawi’s embattled Vice-President Cassim Chilumpha was arrested on treason charges on Friday night, after a court prevented the government from firing him, his lawyer and opposition officials said.
Chilumpha is accused of holding meetings at his official residence in the commercial capital, Blantyre, at which members of his United Democratic Front party conspired to topple President Bingu wa Mutharika’s government, attorney Fahad Assani said.
”This is the continuation of political vindictiveness,” Assani said. ”There were no such meetings at Mudi House. The meetings that took place there were normal political meetings … There is nothing wrong for a leader to meet his officials.”
Police spokesperson Willie Mwaluka confirmed Chilumpha’s arrest, but declined to comment on the reasons.
The president and vice-president, once allies, have waged a political feud since Wa Mutharika resigned from the then governing UDF to found his own party, accusing his former party of trying to blunt his clampdown on corruption and his moves to modernise the economy.
UDF spokesperson Sam Mpasu accused Wa Mutharika of abusing his powers by having Chilumpha arrested.
”The vice-president is immune from prosecution while still in office, just like the president,” Mpasu said. ”This is a clear violation of the laws of Malawi.”
Mpasu claimed police had no warrant when they arrived at Chilumpha’s residence on Friday night and arrested one of his bodyguards. They later returned for the vice-president, forcing a door and windows to gain access to the building, he said.
Another UDF official, Yusuf Matumula, was arrested separately on similar charges, Mpasu said. Both officials were driven to police headquarters in the capital, Lilongwe, he said. It was not immediately clear where the bodyguard was taken.
Wa Mutharika tried to fire Chilumpha earlier this year, arguing he had effectively resigned by being absent from Cabinet meetings for eight months, showing disrespect to the president and making disparaging remarks about the government.
Chilumpha argued that the president had no power to dismiss him, saying he could only lose his job by resigning, being incapacitated, or through death or impeachment by Parliament. A court ordered that Chilumpha stay in office pending a judicial review of the president’s decision to sack him. — Sapa-AP