Muluzi recovers to face full trial on theft

Bakili Muluzi recovering in London but when he gets better, the courts are waiting for him to answer allegations on theft and corruption where Malawi lost MK1.7 billion into his private coffers.

By Chifundo Gama

Former president of the Republic of Malawi, Bakili Muluzi has undergone a successful on his spine in the United Kingdom (UK) paving way for a full corruption and theft trail if he returns to Malawi.

According to reports that Malawi Digest has received, Muluzi underwent a four-hour medical operation on his spine at a London Clinic.

Unlike previous reports that his discs had slipped, doctors discovered that the spine was Muluzi’s main problem.

Muluzi is reported to be recovering well and according to his Canadian agent Tom Likambale, Muluzi is heavily cracking jokes in the London Clinic entertaining all patients receiving treatment there.

Likambale told the internet discussion forum, Nyasanet that he was left in stitches when he spoke to the former Malawi president on telephone from Canada on Saturday.

Muluzi is a very good joker and spent his 10-year time in office as leader for Malawi entertaining people with jokes instead of giving them development.

His lawyers have assured the High Court in Malawi that he may return on or before 13th December although sceptics feel the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) national chairman may not keep his word.

Muluzi is reported to be seeking asylum in the United Kingdom and several other countries have also been mentioned as possible countries to flee to. These include Libya, United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.

Meanwhile, his wife Patricia Shanil Muluzi who was mentioned in court as one of the assurances that Muluzi was not trying flee the country has joined her husband in the UK.

In their arguments in court, his lawyers said Muluzi could not flee the country as his wife remained back home in Malawi as she was not part of the trip.

However, Patricia Shanil Muluzi secretly flew out of Malawi two weeks ago to join her husband. Apart from Atupele Muluzi who is a Member of Parliament for Machinga North East, all well known children for Muluzi are in the United Kingdom.

Former president Muluzi spent the last three years campaigning almost weekly for an unconstitutional third term of office but he was stopped in his tracks by the courts.

When stopped, Muluzi spent his time daily on the road campaigning for one John Tembo of the Malawi Congress Party but they both of them flopped together in the May polls.

Although Muluzi campaigned daily for John Tembo, there was no single day that Muluzi complained that he was sick until after the campaign.

Otherwise during the campaign, he assured the people; "Tivotere Tembo amuna odziwa chuma cha dziko. Nanga a chair angachitire campaign mphwepwa? Ine monga engineer was ndale ndichita campaign masana ndi usiku kuti Tembo alowe pa mpando basi (Lets vote for a Tembo a reputable economist), can the chair campaign for a nonentity? As the political engineer will campaign day and night to make sure that Tembo gets the presidency.)” Muluzi used to tout at his joint public rallies with Tembo.

Muluzi is on record of having said on many occasions that Tembo is a murder, silent killer, a manipulator and too crooked to run Malawi.

It is not known why Muluzi supported such a candidate that he has demonised so much in the past.

If he returns to Malawi, Bakili Muluzi is expected to face a full trial on theft and corruption.

He is suspected to have pocketed about MK1.7billion belonging to Malawian citizens and this money was traced to have found its way into Bakili Muluzi’s bank accounts in Zomba and Blantyre-Malawi Digest.