JB to come home after Mutharika presidency

Former Malawi President Joyce Banda will not come back home only when  President Peter Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration are voted out of power, Malawi24 has learnt.

Banda who left Malawi a few days after being voted out of power having only ruled the country for two years has been dodging her followers on her homecoming since last year.

Sources close to her revealed to this paper on Monday that as long as Mutharika remains the ruler of the country, people must never expect her back home soon.

“She fears that the current government might harm her thus frankly she will not come back home soon. Government has been trying to coax her back but still she will be here in South Africa for the sake of her own security,” said the source.

While Banda was in power, her government arrested the current President Mutharika together with some top government officials including Patricia Kaliati and Goodall Gondwe on treason charges thus some have assumed that she fears revenge from Mutharika.

History has it that during her administration, most officials in the current government faced torture such that most of them did not want to contest in the elections that saw her being voted out of power.

It is suspected that when she recalls such things, she fears she will be on the receiving end of a very evil revenge from the people who suffered during her time.

However, some people have branded that as ‘fear of the unknown’ because Mutharika already promised that he will not use his presidential powers to revenge anything to anybody who wronged him anywhere.

Recently, Banda gave a signal to Malawians on her lack of interest to come back home soon by appointing Uladi Mussa to take over her presidential post in her People’s Party. When we asked him on the allegations that Banda fears Mutharika’s possible revenge, Mussa said such allegations are unjustified.

“What we know as People’s Party is that our party founder is ready to come to Malawi as soon as government is through sorting out what is required for someone who once served as a president of the country. Currently government is not clear on her logistics thus she cannot come,” said Mussa.

However, government through the ministry of information recently told the media that Banda has turned down all logistical requirements which the government offered her. Minister of information Jappie Mhango claimed that government has tried everything it can but Banda remains unwilling to accept any offer.

“She has turned down about 10 houses and we told her to come and choose any house which can suit her needs but still she is not willing to come. Malawians must then question her on how she is managing to afford living in expensive hotels in South Africa,” said Mhango in a statement.

Meanwhile some cashgate suspects keep on pointing at her as someone who may be a witness on their cases in court.