Former President Peter Mutharika has angered former President Joyce Banda and the People’s Party (PP) after referring to Banda as “Abiti Cashgate”.
Mutharika at a Democratic Progressive Party on Saturday branded Banda as “Abiti Cashgate” in reference to the Cashgate scandal — the plunder of billions in public funds — under Banda.
In a statement today, PP spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda has described the remarks as disturbing, unnecessary, archaic, and deceptive.
He noted that the issues around Cashgate are being dealt with by credible international auditors, law enforcement agencies and Malawi’s trusted legal framework.
“Nine years down the line suspects have been arrested and prosecuted, some have been convicted while others have been acquitted following a due court process. The Baker Tilly independent investigative audit, which Her Excellency’s government commissioned, found no single evidence of her involvement in Cashgate.
“Prof. Mutharika may wish to be reminded that during his reign, the Anti-Corruption Bureau-ACB exonerated Dr Joyce Banda from any involvement in Cashgate, despite his government’s ill intentions to exact mob justice on her. He should be reminded further that Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda won a defamation case she brought before court following similar propaganda as Mutharika made in Mangochi. Surely, these processes could have implicated her at some point had she been involved. This should tell any sane and reasonable person that H.E Dr. Joyce Banda is in no way involved in Cashgate,” said Kalaile Banda.
He then called on Mutharika to avoid diverting people’s attention from real issues that mired his leadership and continue to haunt him to date.
Kalaile Banda mentioned allegations that Mutharika received K145 million from a local businessman to corruptly influence business links and that he gave leeway to his cronies to abuse his Taxpayer Identification Number (TPIN) for other unrelated interests in what has been termed as 5-billion-kwacha Cementgate scandal.
“We will continue to resist the temptation to call him Mr. Cement,” said Kalaile Banda.
Mrs Joyce Banda ruled Malawi between 2012 and 2014 when she was ousted in the presidential elections which Mutharika won.
Mutharika was president of Malawi from 2014 to 2020 but he has been talking about contesting in the 2025 elections.
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