JB IS FREE TO RETURN HOME SAYS MUTHARIKA

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has said his administration is not in anyway planning to persecution the immediate past President Dr.Joyce Banda as alleged, saying Banda is free to return to Malawi.

Mutharika said this on Tuesday evening during new program, “Talk to the President”, on State controlled Television (MBC) hosted and produced by Mgeme Kalilani.

In his speech, Mutharika has said several former heads of state have written him seeking clarification that his administration is persecuting past leader Joyce Banda.

“I have responded to them, they can privately investigate if there is any form of persecution,” said Mutharika during the program.

When asked of the relations with him and Banda, Mutharika admitted that the two are not in talking terms since April 2012 soon after the death of Binguwa Mutharika.

Banda recently wrote foreign missions in Malawi that she fears for persecution in Malawi hence her stay abroad.

The former President left the country just after the controversial May 20, 2014 tripartite election which saw Mutharika emerging as victorious. Her trip raised alot of speculations in the country with others accussing her of running away from the ongoing investigations to the looting of public funds dubbed cashgate but she denied.

Recently, Minister of Information Tourism and culture Kondwani Nankhumwa publicly alleged that Banda had a hand in the death of late Bingu wa Mutharika and asked Mutharika summon Banda for questioning.

Nankhumwa’s remarks received criticisms from all corners and others even called for the immediate firing of Nankhumwa.