As police tighten the noose on top opposition figures, explosive allegations have emerged suggesting that senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials may be secretly cutting cash-for-amnesty deals with members of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP)--a claim that, if proven, would expose staggering hypocrisy at the heart of government.
The rumours, now circulating widely, allege that three senior DPP officials pocketed huge sums of money from MCP figures in exchange for protection from arrest, even as other opposition leaders are being hauled before the law.
Minister of Information and Digitalisation, who is also government spokesperson, Shadric Namalomba has dismissed the claims as "laughable," insisting the DPP-led administration is committed to the rule of law.
But a well-placed source within the DPP, speaking on condition of anonymity, told this publication that the allegations are "a matter of fact," claiming the money exchanged was substantial and the beneficiaries are known within party circles.
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The allegations come amid a wave of arrests that has rattled the opposition. Last week, police arrested MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda, followed by the party's September 16 presidential running mate Vitumbiko Mumba, and later party spokesperson Jessie Kabwila.
The arrests appear to have triggered panic within sections of the former ruling party, with claims that some officials are now scrambling to "buy reprieve" rather than face the full force of the law.
Repeated attempts to get a comment from MCP Deputy Publicity Secretary Ken Msonda were unsuccessful, as his phone went unanswered.
Namalomba, however, rejected the allegations outright, arguing that no one is above the law.
"The government of Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika believes in the rule of law," he said. "Anyone who committed crimes during the previous administration will not be spared. Even those committing crimes now will not be spared."
He said the DPP administration remains committed to ensuring that anyone involved in criminal activities is brought to book--once evidence is established.
But human rights defenders are not convinced. Young Human Rights Defenders Network (YHRDN) chairperson Mervin Nxumayo has demanded a thorough and independent investigation, warning that rumours of this magnitude do not emerge in a vacuum.
"Let there be rule of law and let all suspects be brought to book," Nxumayo said. "This is the moment Malawians must put those they have voted into power on the scale--are they ready to walk the talk of their manifesto or not?"
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He warned that failure to act decisively, even if those implicated are from the ruling party's own camp, will invite further action from civil society.
As arrests mount and allegations of selective justice grow louder, the unfolding saga is testing the credibility of the DPP government's commitment to transparency and equality before the law. For many Malawians, the question is no longer about rumours--but whether the truth will be pursued without fear or favour.
