Tit for tat: PP says Mutharika persecuted JB during his reign

One of the Tonse Alliance partners, People’s Party (PP) has accused former President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika of spreading lies when he claimed that he never ill-treated former President Dr. Joyce Banda during his six year reign.

On Saturday, Mutharika held a media briefing at his retirement home in Mangochi where he claimed of being persecuted by the current administration.

While trying to convince Malawians that he is facing harsh treatment at the hands of the current government, Mutharika opined that he did not treat Dr. Joyce Banda badly during his six years in office.

But reacting to the claims, PP spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda accused Mutharika of spreading lies on the matter.

“We would like to remind Professor Mutharika that his administration denied Dr. Joyce Banda most of her benefits such as personnel, vehicular and residential assets as espoused in the statutes.

“It is sad that he is trying to gain public sympathy by drawing comparisons that are untrue,” said Banda.

He added: “We in the Peoples Party freshly remember the tireless emotional persecution Mutharika unleashed on Dr. Joyce Banda.

“Since his first day in office Mutharika tried in vain to establish a direct link between her and the infamous Cashgate scandal. He and his lieutenants told Malawians that they had CCTV footage at Kamuzu Palace where Joyce Banda was receiving money from Cashgate suspects. Malawians are still waiting for that footage.

“Dr. Joyce Banda was also accused by Mutharika’s party of killing Bingu wa Mutharika, after which she sought legal redress for defamation at a court of law and won the case.

“Mutharika may need another reminder that at a time he was making all these probes, JB was undertaking her Fellowship at Woodrow Wilson Centre in the United States. She actually announced her return to Malawi two years before change of government to give the Mutharika administration ample time to prosecute her if she had any issues.”

PP has since urged Mutharika to desist from using Dr. Joyce Banda’s name as a shield.