JB says not invited to Peter inauguration

Former Malawi president Joyce Banda says she failed to attend the inauguration ceremony of her successor President Peter Mutharika at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre because she was not officially invited.

Besides, Banda, speaking through a spokesperson, said she had no alternative transport after the official presidential motorcade was withdrawn from her.

In his inaugural speech on Monday, Mutharika said he had invited Banda and that she declined to attend the ceremony and hand over power through the ceremonial handshake.

“I regret that the former president has declined to come and hand over power to me. I was looking forward to shaking her hand. I have to come to her with an olive branch in my hand. Don’t let it drop from my hand,” said Mutharika in a thinly veiled threat.

But Tusekele Mwanyongo, press officer in the former president’s office, said Banda did not attend the inauguration because, among other reasons, she was not constitutionally mandated to.

He said after a hectic campaign period for the May 20 Tripartite Elections, the former president decided to rest at her home in Nkhata Bay.

Said Mwanyongo: “The day before the swearing-in ceremony, all the official vehicles were withdrawn [from Banda]. But it is not that she has not attended out of malice, she issued a press statement congratulating him and offering her assistance [to the new President]. That alone is enough.”

However, on Sunday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of elections Kondwani Nankhumwa, who was in the organising committee for the inauguration ceremony, said Banda, who finished third in the presidential race, had been invited as was the first multiparty president Bakili Muluzi and former vice-presidents Justin Malewezi, Cassim Chilumpha and Khumbo Kachali.

Nankhumwa said indications on Saturday pointed to Banda attending Mutharika’s inauguration ceremony. However, sources close to Banda could neither confirm nor deny when called by The Nation.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Surveys is yet to find a retirement home for Banda.

The ministry has since identified one for former vice-president Khumbo Kachali in Lilongwe’s Area 43.

By law, former presidents and their vice-presidents are entitled to government housing and other benefits until death, but they can lose some of these entitlements if they get back into active politics.

According to Clerk to Cabinet Ernest Kantchentche, the Department of Housing is taking care of the arrangements.

“Secretary for Housing should have a quick answer because they have been looking into that,” he said in an interview.

As of Saturday, the Department of Housing had finished arrangements for Kachali’s retirement house in Area 43.

Principal Secretary in the ministry, Stuart Ligomeka, said consultations were still underway with the Banda family on the retirement home.

He said: “The department does that in consultation with the former president on the house of their choice.”

According to law, former leaders are also entitled to medical care, security, vehicles and others.