Frelimo candidate sneaks into Mzuzu

Mystery surrounds Malawi President Peter Mutharika’s meeting with Mozambique’s presidential campaigner Jacinto Filipe Nyusi at Mzuzu State Lodge on Friday.

The Frelimo candidate in the October 15 2014 election is a former minister of Defence seen as a frontrunner in the race to succeed incumbent president Armando Guebuza who is winding up his two-term tenure.

Nyusi arrived in Mzuzu around 4pm on board jet number C9-CFM.

Online tracking shows the plane is a Mozambique-registered private beach jet available for hire.

Before Nyusi jetted in, about 10 Portuguese-speaking personalities were seen distributing red T-shirts bearing the presidential hopeful’s portrait to passers-by and Mzuzu Airport officials.

The officials even ordered temporary closure of the airstrip as the locals scrambled for the free wear.

Upon his arrival, the Malawian citizens were made to queue and clap hands by the taxiway to welcome the presidential candidate who exited through the VVIP section before being wheeled away in a motorcade complete with sirens, flashlights and police motorcycles.

Airport officials, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, confirmed the Very Important Person who flew in from Mozambique was actually Nyusi.

Nation on Sunday asked presidential press secretary Fredrick Ndala what pressing business sent the Mozambican politician to scamper to Mzuzu rather than waiting to meet Mutharika in Lilongwe or Blantyre.

Ndala confirmed the Mozambican had talks with the Malawian leader at the State Lodge.

But he downplayed the meeting as part of a solidarity tour that saw Nyusi also meeting President Jacob Zuma in South Africa and Wynter Kabimba in Zambia. Kabimba is now Zambia’s acting president because Michael Sata is ill.

“The Frelimo candidate is on Sadc tour. It is a tradition that when a country is heading for elections, presidential candidates visit leaders of other parties, which they are in friendship with as a sign of solidarity. You may wish to know DPP [Democratic Progressive Party] and Frelimo are partners,” said Ndala.

He indicated that Nyusi was here to sell his agenda to Mutharika.