Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika dies

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has died after doctors at Kamuzu Central Hospital failed to resuscitate him when he suffered a cardiac arrest earlier on Thursday 5th April 2012. Even though the President’s cabinet continues its aggressive ploy aimed at holding on to power at all cost by claiming that The President is going through treatment in South Africa.

When he arrived at Kamuzu Central hospital, the 78 year old Malawi President was already in a coma and medics tried to resuscitate him immediately. “The President has died,” said a top government official who chose to stay anonymous. First Lady Callista, his brother Peter and three of Mutharika’s four children were at the hospital with State House Chief of Staff Edward Sawerengera. His body was being taken to South Africa for further postmortem and preparation for burial.

The news has inevitably led speculations about Malawi’s political future but the Constitution says Vice President takes over until the next elections. Section 83(4) of the Constitution simply reads “whenever there is a vacancy in the office of President, the First Vice-President shall assume that office for the remainder of the term and shall appoint another person to serve as First Vice-President for the remainder of the term. In this case the Vice President Joyce Banda fell out with Mutharika in 2010 and was thrown out of the ruling Democratic People’s Party, raising speculation that the ruling elite could resist her following the decisions of the Late President Bingu wa Mutharika..