Latest news from Malawi now is that the Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau,Gustav Kaliwo who "arrested" Muluzi has been suspended because of this.It is believed that he acted against the directions and advice of his superiors especially the Minister of Finance who has been fighting to get this years budget passed.The way things are at the moment the budget might not pass because the opposition seem determined to get one over Bingu especially his knack of appointing opposition MPs into his government without consultation.

As said the timing of Muluzis arrests was very poor and the reverberations will be felt for a very long time,cry my beloved Malawi!!!

Ngwazi wrote:

---

As said the timing of Muluzis arrests was very poor and the reverberations will be felt for a very long time,cry my beloved Malawi!!!

---

That's Malawi through and through!!!! Always drama!!!!

game wrote:

---

  ngwazi,i know you stand for true governance,are you trying to say that muluzi dont deserve to be arrested?or you are not aware that he plunged malawi into an abyss of economic draught?just curious.

---

game,

If you have been following the "nursery school"squabbles in our Parliament you will appreciate that the loyalty of our MPs lies with their parties and not the country.It is therefore imperative for any ruling party that does not control the august house to tread carefully in some matters.Muluzi is not an ordinary person,he is a former President and leader of a major party in the country,a party that is hellbent on punishing  Bingu by any means necessary and the last thing that the government could have done was to give them an excuse to do exactly that  especially when a very important thing,in this case the budget,depends on the same "enemies"to be approved,it was poor timing whether Muluzi is guilty or not and any politician worth his salt could not have made such a stupid mistake that will have profound impact on the poor man in the street.

So I am not against the arrest of Muluzi or anyone perceived to be corrupt but I am of the opinion that the government could have differed/postponed the execution of the warrant of arrest till the budget was passed.

THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG!!

Cabinet ministers slam Muluzi arrest


by Gedion Munthali, 29 July 2006 - 04:58:18

Three cabinet ministers, interviewed separately, say Muluzi’s arrest is ill-timed and dangerous as it could further inflame an already overheated Parliament. But another commentator feels ACB Director Gustave Kaliwo’s suspension has completed a circle of tension.
The ministers talked on Friday of general displeasure in cabinet due to the timing of Muluzi’s arrest and suspected the opposition were behind the ACB move to inflame an already volatile situation in the House.
But opposition parties, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and United Democratic Front (UDF), denied involvement, saying government should take full responsibility of the actions of the graft busting body.
“No-one I have spoken to in cabinet or government feels Muluzi should have been arrested at a time when we are struggling to pass the budget,” said the minister who comes from the South. “It is disappointing for someone to be doing something outside the House when government is taking artillery fire from the opposition.”
Another minister from the Centre fully supported Mutharika’s action to suspend Kaliwo, saying the motive behind the ACB action was beyond comprehension.
“The situation in there is very bad, it very difficult to understand how someone had to take a decision that would inflame the situation,” said the minister.” I strongly believe this was not accidental. Someone knew what he was doing,” said the minister.
Yet another minister from the North thought the MCP had a hand in Muluzi’s arrest to put spanners in the works in the House where government is having a tough time to get the budget passed.
“I believe the MCP is deliberately using someone at the ACB to derail the budget,” said the minister. He did not name the ACB official. “What was urgent about arresting Muluzi?”
But MCP spokesman Nicholas Dausi denied using anybody at the ACB to sabotage the budget.
“That accusation is not fair. In vengeance and retribution there is no-one who gains,” said Dausi,
He accused Mutharika of using Kaliwo as a scapegoat.
“I am certain Mutharika knew the ACB was going to arrest Muluzi and he may even have encouraged them to do so, but decided to suspend Kaliwo after realising a blunder had been made,” said Dausi.
UDF spokesman said the arrest of Muluzi and the subsequent suspension of Kaliwo “showed the folly of using the ACB as a political tool.” He was asked to elaborate his rather mean comment.
“Serious decisions are being made rather insensitively. These decisions are throwing the country into a crisis for which everyone is now paying in full. Ask yourself, how many people will pay if the budget is not passed?” said Mpasu.
He denied his party was just taking advantage of Muluzi’s arrest to derail government programmes.
“You cannot control people’s feelings. The arrest of anyone is an emotional issue. Dr. Muluzi is not just anyone, he is a former head of state and a leader of a national political party that ushered in this government. You mean, there should not be emotions among his supporters when he is arrested?” questioned Mpasu.
Kaliwo could not be reached yesterday. But he told BBC Network Africa programme Friday morning he did not know why he has been suspended. He said no-one had officially contacted him.
He denied defying Mutharika not to arrest Muluzi, saying the ACB is supposed to operate independently.
The Office of the President and Cabinet said in a statement on Thursday Kaliwo had been suspended with immediate effect “pending investigations of certain matters disciplinary in nature.”
Human Rights Consultative Committee chair Justin Dzonzi said the timing of the arrest was “insensitive” and not wise.
“We recognise there is a law in this country and law enforcers must be left alone to do their work. Our concern is the insensitivities involved. The case is a sensitive one taking place at a sensitive time but handled by very insensitive people,” said Dzonzi. “I think it is a blunder in style.”
But the President’s decision to suspend Kaliwo, Dzonzi said, has worsened matters.
“The decision to arrest Muluzi was chaotic. The move by the President has triggered more chaos,” he said.
He explained: “What the President has done raises questions about the independence of the Judiciary and the credibility of the case. The events will prompt people into thinking that the ACB operates at the convenience of the President and political considerations.
Institute for Policy Interaction Executive Director Rafiq Hajat said the arrest of Muluzi was “very ill timed” considering a stalemate in budgetary process.
“This case is not new, it has been there all this time, why did the arrest have to come now?” questioned Hajat. “ It is now clear that vested interests do not want the budget passed.”
Blantyre Synod’s church and society programme director Billy Mayaya accused Mutharika of practising double standards on his zero-tolerance for corruption, demanding the unconditional lifting of the suspension.
“The suspension is going to derail the whole process. This is not right. What is Mutharika afraid of? The law says Muluzi is innocent until proven guilty, therefore, there should not be any interference in the due process of law. Which is why we are saying that Kaliwo must be reinstated,” said Mayaya.