Malawi VP Chilima on ‘hit list’

Thugs in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration have masterminded a plot to kill Vice President Saulos Chilima, according to a leaked message.

The text was leaked after the intelligence officer mistakenly sent it to a National Food Reserve Agency employee instead of junior intelligence officers.

“Did you find zija ndinakutumani about the VP? As we said last time, he likes attending Catholic events. That’s where you can start,” the message says. “We need to move fast.” When Mr Kumbanga asked for clarification, the sender of the message wrote back, “Sorry, wrong number. Please, ignore.”

The revelations come after reports surfaced this week that President Peter Mutharika is seriously sick in the United States of America where he underwent two operations, including one to remove a brain tumour.

After receiving the threats against Chilima, security officers guarding the veep are said to be alert in order to stop the evil minded DPP thugs from attacking Chilima who will take over the leadership of the country if the president is deemed to be incapacitated.

“Whenever the President is incapacitated so as to be unable to discharge the powers and duties of that office, the Vice-President shall act as President, until such time, in the President’s term of office, as the President is able to resume his or her functions,” Section 87 of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi says.

However, government has already denied reports of Mutharika’s illness. In an interview with the BBC, government spokesperson Malison Ndau claimed that Mutharika is in good health and is meeting unnamed individuals in the United States.

On Monday State House announced that Mutharika will arrive in the country on Sunday, a month after he left for the US where he also attended the United Nations General Assembly.

But writing on Facebook, whistleblower Gerald Kampanikiza said Mutharika’s family and doctors at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where the president has been admitted have not agreed to government’s plan of letting Mutharika fly back to Malawi since he is still not well.

“He is experiencing after effects of brain surgery such as dizzy spells, weakness, poor balance and body coordination,” said Kampanikiza. “The president is also suffering speech problems and there have been five occasions of fits/seizures in the past ten days. Doctors are against him traveling long distance at the moment.”

If the claims are true, the attempt on Chilima’s life will trigger memories of 2012 when DPP tried to block Joyce Banda following the sudden death of the then president, Bingu wa Mutharika. Kondwani Nankhumwa and Dausi, implicated in the Chilima Assassination plan, were among those who unsuccessfully devised plots to stop Joyce Banda, according to treason charges that were leveled against them.

Meanwhile, Director of the Malawi National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), Nicholas Dausi, and Minister of Local Government, Kondwani Nankhumwa, have been implicated by a report published by Nyasa Times as the force “behind the clandestine operation”. Nyasa Times claims to have been tipped by one of its well-placed sources within the hierarchy of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Should the claims be true, the attempt on Chilima’s life will trigger memories of 2012 when DPP tried to block Joyce Banda following the sudden death of the then president, Bingu wa Mutharika.

Ironically, Kondwani Nankhumwa and Dausi, were among those who unsuccessfully devised plots to stop Joyce Banda, according to treason charges that were leveled against them by the Joyce Banda administration.