PP dismisses APM on assassination plot

People’s Party (PP) of former president Joyce Banda has dismissed President Peter Mutharika’s claims that it plotted to assassinate him, describing the statement as provocative and a case of propaganda.

Mutharika alongside 11 other people, including top Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials and civil servants, were arrested by the Joyce Banda administration on allegations that they attempted to bar Banda from constitutionally assuming the presidency following the death of then president Bingu wa Mutharika.

In his address at two political rallies he held at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre last week and Masintha Ground in Lilongwe on Sunday, Mutharika claimed that PP operatives plotted to kill him while in custody at Lumbadzi Police Station in Lilongwe so that he does not  contest in the May 20 Tripartite Elections.

The President alleged that PP sent three unidentified doctors around midnight to examine his health although there were no prior arrangements.

Claimed Mutharika: “Around mid night, we heard they sent three doctors who had syringes to examine my health although I never requested for a doctor. But after it was discovered that the doctors had a suspicious syringe, our [DPP] morale boys swiftly prevented them and gave them a thorough beating.”

But PP vice-president for Central Region, Uladi Mussa, who was Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security at the time, has described Mutharika’s allegations as “unfortunate and complete falsehood.”

Mussa said in as far as PP was concerned, no medical doctor was sent to examine Mutharika’s health or any of the treason suspects who were in cell then.

Said Mussa: “It is unfortunate for the President to make such allegations. Government had no intention to assassinate him or any of his accomplices.

“But if at all doctors were sent to inject him, then government was not aware about that development and actually it is news that such a thing happened.

“By the way, why did he not testify when he appeared before court for his treason trial if he had proof that government wanted to assassinate him?”

Mussa also wondered why the President had to wait this long to disclose the alleged plot to assassinate him.

“When we have broken the law, let us accept that arrests are part of the normal procedures to find out the truth. By arresting him we just wanted the rule of law to take its course,” he said.

During the rallies, Mutharika dismissed the alleged treason case, which government dropped soon after he took over power, describing it a Mickey Mouse case.

“That was Mickey Mouse of treason aimed at blocking me from contesting in the presidential race. From now onwards, the leaders in this country will have to be careful before they start cases like that stupid treason of theirs,” Mutharika told the Njamba gathering.

At the Masintha rally, Mutharika also trashed the commission of inquiry Banda’s administration set up to investigate events surrounding Bingu’s death, saying it was a concoction and total rubbish because some members of the commission came from the same village.