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Malawi's Ex-President Slams Arrests of Former Govt Officials

Malawi's former president, Peter Mutharika, has accused President Lazarus Chakwera's government of political persecution in arresting former officials linked to the former leader. Mutharika made the comments on Sunday December 19, 2021 at his first large rally of supporters since Chakwera defeated him in elections last year.

Thousands of supporters of Malawi's opposition Democratic Progressive party (DPP) braved rain to attend a rally addressed by Mutharika and political ally Atupele Muluzi, leader of the opposition United Democratic front in Blantyre.

Earlier in December, Malawian authorities arrested former finance minister Joseph Mwanamveka, former reserve bank governor Dalitso Kabambe and former local government minister Ben Phiri over the sale of a state-owned bank. Police said the three faced charges of abuse of office and fraud. 

The arrests come days after Malawi's Attorney-General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda told reporters that the government is investigating the sale of Malawi Savings Bank and issues that led the International Monetary Fund to withhold its extended credit facility to Malawi.

In 2015, Mutharika's administration sold the state-owned savings bank to Thom Mpinganjira, who is now serving a nine-year jail term for attempting to bribe judges who were handling a 2019 election dispute case.

InFocus

LoafOne / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

The Reserve Bank of Malawi (Mzuzu branch).

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