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Malawi: Mutharika’s skeletons comes to haunt him

When personal aide and bodyguard Norman Chisale, former chief of staff of state residence Peter Mukhito, who both worked for former President Peter Mutharika have been arrested over 1,2 million bags of cement duty free using his “presidential privilege”.

The former Tip-Ex President is under the weather and in big trouble as the skeletons of the past comes to haunt him. The former Head of State and his allies can not hide behind the title and the highest office of the land. That the new Presidency wants to pursuit it. Is not vindictive, but to prove a point. A signal of might happen, if some of his cabinet members or state officials misuse their offices.

This is a K5 billion worth of cement bough without paying duty-free. In a Republic where MPs and Cabinet Members are getting a amount of duty-free cars as their salaries. This is a system, which has been rampant during the reign of Mutharika. This is not shocking.

We are surely seeing misuse of office and using it for personal benefit. Who knows what else is laying around or have been done in favour of the former President and his administration. There is most likely more skeletons. As there been cash-gate and maize-gate. In those, there should be some evidence and some high ranking officials eating of the plate of the public.

Mutharika knows this and the new President knows this too. However, if the new President looks to deep. It might implicate his Vice President Saulos Chilima who also worked closely with the former administration. That is known and he was a part of that too. This is why they are circling on scandals, which will not implicate their own.

This is clearly a win-win for current President Lazarus Chakwera. He is winning brownie-points doing nothing, while the investigation and revelation of former ills. Makes it easier for him to skate by the criticism of his cabinet and patronage he brought into office. The President knows this and the headlines is surrounding the former President. That is just a moment of freedom for Lazarus.

This cement dealing and misuse of power isn’t shocking or surprising. The usage of office and other scandals, which was revealed in the Mutharika years. This is a similar affair and therefore, it is following a pattern to enriching themselves while using the privilege of office.

These actions are now coming to haunt him. They were wrong when he was in office and is still wrong now. He might have used straw-men, but that doesn’t shield him. Might even have used several of tricks and schemes. There will maybe come forward whistleblowers who will expose more scandals. Time will only tell, but not be shocked.

However, don’t be shocked, if something is hitting VP Chilima too. As he was under the wings and the VP for years with Mutharika too. When your at the top, you usually work together and earn money together. So, it should be a matter of time before something goes in that direction too. Unless, they are only circling around the ex-President. Peace.

Opinion: Lazarus wasn’t long in heaven

Malawi have just inaugurated and welcomed new President Lazarus Chakwera with his Tonse Alliance. The Malawi Congress Party, the party of Banda back to power. The man could walk on water in the first hours of his Presidency. Everyone was looking at the stars, the moons and pledging for a new start after years of Peter Mutharika in power.

It didn’t take many days going from heavenly praises, psalms song across the continent and sweet melodies played to serenade the masses. However, the announcement of the cabinet has backfired. The family affairs, the nepotism, the gifting of ministries and questionable appointments. It is just a familiar tale of kick-backs and grifting.

Chakwera was supposed to be different. He promised change and was supposed to be different than Mutharika. We are now seeing the same sort of affairs like the ones blamed on the previous President. The only different is that a Reverend is doing it and not one of the sons of the dynasties doing it.

With a new head of state out of the norm. There was supposed to be change. However, those who believed that, have been proved wrong and just within days. The President has appointed cronies, family members and financial backers of the campaign. It is like a ceremonial act.

Lazarus will have a hard time to say this is made by merit and the warning sign should be there. When the Attorney for the petition to challenge the previous election was offered to become the Attorney General and turned it down. That should been the red-flag of how Lazarus would act.

If he could pay-off his lawyer, the man who made the Fresh Presidential Election possible. What could he do to others?

That was proven on the 8th July 2020. Lazarus would give his blessings, he would appoint family, associates and party cronies. Not the ones most fitting for the roles, not the ones with technical abilities in the field, but some friendly faces who will not challenge his reign. That is how it seems.

This is nepotism. Plain and simple. The President cannot say otherwise. If he does, his lying and that’s not good a look reverend. To make the cabinet into a family matters, make the cabinet into stalwarts and insiders of industry to reign supreme. Only leads to speculations that Lazarus was only game for publicity stunts, but go back to the ordinary politics like usual.

Lazarus was supposed to revive, to reform, but with these appointments. You cannot anticipate much. Except that with nepotism usually comes graft. I anticipate a maize scandal, another cashgate and maybe some unexplained SUVs in the near future. Peace.

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Malawi: COVID-19 Situation at Parliament (06.07.2020)

Malawi: COVID-19 Situation Update as 4th July 2020 (04.07.2020)

Malawi: COVID-19 Situation Update as 3rd July 2020 (03.07.2020)