Mutharika accused of twisting facts on his father’s death

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has contradicted his late brother, Bingu wa Mutharika on the exact date their father, Mr Ryson Thom Mutharika died and the cause of his death.

In 2003, late Bingu allegedly said his father died in 1972 at Malamulo Mission Hospital while he was in exile.

“I was forced into exile for many years during which my father, Mr Ryson Thom Mutharika, was retired as a teacher but the MCP government refused to pay his pension. He died at Malamulo Mission Hospital in 1972,” Bingu wa quoted as saying.

On Tuesday, President Mutharika contradicted his late brother when he said his father died in 1964 after being beaten by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) cadres.

“[In 1964] we were at school when the Cabinet crisis happened. We ran away because we knew we could be a target since we supported the ministers. Soon afterwards, MCP cadres went to our parents’ house and picked up our father. He said he did not know where we were, so they started beating him up. He died three days later,” said Mutharika.

The contradiction has attracted mixed reactions on the social media with many people recalling circumstance surrounding Bingu’s death.

One of the human right activists Billy Mayaya wrote: “Both Bingu and Peter are contemporaries of my dad (currently 86 years old) and the narrative points to a level of embellishment. Additionally how was it possible for a person in exile to travel freely to Malawi in those “dark” days?”.

Another concerned citizen Muheeb Banda wrote: “I guess that is why we could not know when exactly Bingu died, was it on 5th April or 7th April or both. But you know politicians my boss – they have a DNA called LIE.”

On his part Prescott Wreath wrote: “That’s what happens when you just want to talk bad about MCP; the subject matter is not even their father. It is MCP. All facts are there ignored. Shame. It is not easy to be coherent when you are not saying the truth. Lies are very expensive to maintain.”

Meanwhile debate on the matter continues.