JB accused of signing a pact with ‘the Devil’

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Joyce Banda & Oswald Lutepo

Africa Confidential, one of Africa’s celebrated publications, has described as a ‘pact with the devil’ the alliance that former Malawi president Joyce Banda is forging with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

According to reports published last week, an entourage of People’s Party (PP) Members of Parliament led by Joyce Banda’s son, Roy Kachale, met President Peter Mutharika to discuss the specific modus operandi of the alliance.

Joyce Banda
Is PP/DPP alliance JB’s ‘pact with the devil’?

But the publication argues that it is Mrs Banda who has offered to back Peter Mutharika in Parliament in order to secure Mutharika’s position for 2019 elections by defeating the 50 percent plus one vote electoral reform bill unpopular with the DPP. The publication claims that her support to join forces with Mutharika will come on one condition, that she escapes any cashgate-related prosecution. Mrs Banda has been named as the cashgate’s big fish by different government and senior PP officials facing cashgate charges.

Oswald Lutepo, Leonard Kalonga, Treza Namathanga Senzani (now deceased), Paul Mphwiyo, a former director of budget at the Ministry of Finance and Ralph Kasambara, formed Attorney General and Minister of Justice have all implicated Joyce Banda in the Cashgate scandal as the big fish.

“The docket against Banda is thick,’ one prosecutor told the publication. “I am sure they have waved it at her and the best option for her is to surrender her soul and support Mutharika in exchange for her freedom.” added the official who believes the ruling DPP would advising the Anti Corruption Bureau to ease up on Mrs Banda just like they have done on former President Bakili Muluzi whose corruption case has stalled.

UDF, through Muluzi’s eldest son, Atupele, had entered a pact with  Mutharika during the uncertainty of the 2014 presidential elections. Atupele Muluzi’s decision to declare Mutharika as the victor weakened any opposition and plan to challenge the outcome.

“Ex-President Banda has offered to pull President Mutharika’s political chestnuts from the fire in return for immunity from prosecution” reads the first paragraph of the article titled Banda’s Pact with the Devil

Joyce Banda & Oswald Lutepo
JB with Lutepo (left)

“Facing myriad corruption charges from her time as head of state, ex-President Joyce Banda has held out an olive branch to her bitter rival, President Peter Mutharika, from her self-imposed exile in the United States. She hopes that Mutharika, who is already engaged in a campaign to recruit members of parliament belonging to Banda’s People’s Party (PP), will stop any prosecution against her if she helps deliver MPs and votes for the incumbent. It is a high-risk tactic that could blow up in her face and end her three-decades-long career in public life” reads the article in part.

According to the publication, the offer is too tempting for Mutharika to refuse considering that his own popularity is diminishing following a flood of corruption allegations against his administration which threatens his re-election campaign against the main challenger Lazarus Chakwera, leader of the opposition and president of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

It is understood that in an effort to weaken Chakwera, Mutharika has embarked on a campaign to recruit senior members and MPs from opposition benches.

“It is this that Banda and the PP hope to exploit” argued Africa Confidential on the understanding that the PP votes with the DPP and the UDF can also help to defeat a 50 percent plus one vote electoral reform bill which, if passed in Parliament, would require a candidate to win over 50% of the votes to be declared president. Government has said the bills have not been scrutinized by the Cabinet to be taken to Parliament for deliberation.

The publication further notes that vocal PP members of parliament such as Kamlepo Kalua have toned down on their criticism against government following the meeting.

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47 Comments

  1. Mtarika is killing the nation of making 5000 kwacha and closing the joe exams

  2. Fellow Malawians am here to tell you that if you try to arrest Joyce Banda, you will see the outcome. Outside here we are not stupid to keep quiet. We see what is happening there. You will see if you try to do what you want to double. I promise you just try.
    IT WAS THE TIME OF DR. BANDA WHEN WE USED TO SAY ” INDE BWANA ” BUT NOT NOW. Ask Bakili Muluzi will tell you who i am. Atupele is just a little boy.
    Or ask John Tembo is the one who can tell you the truth.

  3. War is war.Use whichever weapon that can defeat the enemy.Should that happen ,just know that road for mcp to glory will be rough and bumpy.This woman is politically matured and has a large follower.Dr.Chakwera used this strategy on Miah and he succeeded.Use any method inorder to retain ur position.Lets each president finish his maximum term for development purposes.Presidents in Malawi dont relay their development plans.Eveyone wants to start his own programmes.You hear of kamwamba universities and road infrastructures,these will vanish.Malawi will continue to be rated superatively the poorest.Kamuzu stayed a litle longer and we are able to trace his developments.Include JB.There is no harm.

  4. Ochita chimo amakhala kapolo wachimolo even thou east west home is best komabe abanda akufunafuna mpumulo popanga react with de rulling gvt aaa!may be coz are of de same feathers so why not flowing together 2019 peoples judgiment just wait and see.

  5. Home is best……..”for JB to be back and leave peacefully in her own country, she must clean APM shoes first”, otherwise if APM remains President in 2019, lest we forget JB to kiss her own homeland!!!!!!!!…..Mayi aja anateketa ndalama za boma too much though was a nice President.

  6. We all know how bad these two are but enough is enough no time for devils this time around,we need a better Malawi,the have stolen more taxpayers money,killed innocent people like Issa Njaudyu,Robert Chasowa etc.they have also given more land to foreigners without proper documentation just to enrich themselves.

    1. Talk of killing?My God! You must be grossly ashamed by now, who killed Solobala, Gadama, Matenje, Chiwanga, Sangala? Mind you these were not ordinary people! Are you wise enough then wise enough to stand on the podium and call someone a killer? Are your senses working, You must go to Zomba Mental hospital together with Chakwera

    2. To Matias Kapito
      Stupidity begins at home and it should end there this is how ignorant you are fox,every ruling party do anything to protect it both internal and external forces that can destroy it.For your own information that was one party system but today MCP can’t repeat the past mistakes because we are living in a world of democracy.

    3. Poorest Anthony,the Fox is 100 times wiser than you and your muderous MCP, hear me! You senseless creature,portrayed by your lack of reasoning as regards your comments,know to it that never at any time in history shall MCP form the government.

    4. There is no good party here in Malawi. All the parties are the same eg MCP welcomed Mia who is one of the circled and crooked polician why? Had it been that we have a new party with new faces better would be

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