Malawi president disowns government spokesperson's remarks on ex-president's death

Barely three days after Malawi government spokesperson alleged that former President Bingu Mutharika was murdered, President Peter Mutharika distanced himself on Tuesday, saying it was "the government spokesperson's personal view".

Malawi government spokesperson Kondwani Nankhumwa, who is also minister of information, tourism and culture, alleged on Saturday that Bingu Mutharika who died in his office on April 5, 2012, was murdered by a group of politicians under what he termed "JB Project".

Nankhumwa made the accusation during Bingu Mutharika's memorial held at his burial place, Ndata Farm, in the southern district of Thyolo, saying he had evidence on the plot to kill Mutharika and he asked Peter Mutharika to institute fresh investigations into his brother's death and bring those responsible to justice.

But speaking through his spokesperson Gerald Viola on Tuesday, Peter Mutharika distanced himself from the government spokesperson's remarks, saying "they were not the president's nor the cabinet's views but the spokesperson's personal views".

When Mutharika died, his deputy Joyce Banda, popularly known as JB, came into power and immediately instituted an inquiry into Bingu Mutharika's death and the results revealed that he died of cardiac arrest.

Peter Mutharika, who was foreign minister at the time of his brother's death, came to power after winning the May 2014 presidential polls, beating 11 presidential candidates including Joyce Banda who ruled for two years only.

He had said his departed brother taught him among other things to "forgive others and not to jump to conclusions about others." Endi