JB, Mutharika clash in the US

…Mutharika says JB behind Malawi’s economic crisis

Malawi President Peter Mutharika clashed with his predecessor, Joyce Banda, who is also in the United States but attending a First Ladies Forum on Education.

While addressing  members of the Council for Foreign Relation, Mutharika told the gathering that his predecessor did not have people’s mandate during her two years she was in power. He stated that since Mrs. Banda did not pass through the ballot to be elected, she therefore was not a legitimate president when she was in power.

Mr. Mutharika, who has come under fire for disregarding the country’s economic crisis by taking a swamp of bootlickers to join him at the UN spending over K2.5 billion on accommodation and transport, said despite Malawi having had 5 presidents, only four were truly legitimate. He counted his brother Bingu, Kamuzu Banda, Bakili Muluzi and himself.

Joyce Banda, who was Bingu’s deputy, became president following the death of the latter on 5 April in 2012. It was alleged that the incumbent ganged up with his Democratic Progressive cronies then to bar Mrs. Banda from ascending into power as stipulated by the Malawi Constitution. The arrest of Peter Mutharika for treason followed when she was sworn in.

While shrugging off claims that he is politically persecuting his predecessor, Mutharika told the gathering that his arrest was made of trumped up charges.

“I have no intention to persecute her for political reasons, I went through very difficult situations when I was imprisoned on tramped up charges so I don’t want anybody to go through the same things,” said Mutharika who continued to attack Joyce Banda, accusing the latter of being behind the current economic crisis.

He said the origins of the current recession can be traced to the cashgate scandal that forced donors to cut off aid when it emerged that government and political party officials as well as other business people had stolen billions of public funds.

Mrs. Banda came head on with Mutharika’s better half, Gertrude Mutharika at the First Ladies Forum where the ex-leader was invited as a guest.