Kamuzu Banda's son arrested for insulting Mutharika

Mallick Mnela
Correspondent | Monday September 19, 2011 00:00

This brings to five the number of people arrested this year on charges of insulting the Malawian leader. Police publicist for central Malawi assistant superintendent John Namalenga told a local radio station, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, that 38-year-old Johansson was arrested for insulting the president as he drove past his official residence in the capital Lilongwe.

'Jimani will appear before the court soon,' the police publicist told the radio station. He added that Johansson said the president is an imbecile who is killing poor Malawians and deserves nothing but death.

According to Malawi laws, this is a misdemeanour. The arrest comes barely a week after police arrested a journalist for allegedly taking a picture of the Malawian leader's private multi-million dollar mansion, in his home village of Thyolo in southern Malawi.

It comes hot on the heels of pressure on Mutharika to disclose how he has amassed wealth to build such a building, which the critics say is not commensurate with his earnings.

Pressure continues to mount on president Mutharika as many people call for a referendum to legitimise his continued stay in power, a move described by his party officials as a non-starter.

Meanwhile, United Nations (UN) sponsored talks have collapsed due to systematic acts of arson committed against civil society leaders leading to calls for the restoration of some semblance of normalcy in the political, social and economic spheres of the country.

The civil society leaders have vowed to return to the streets come September 21, where they will express their discontent with the way the Malawi leader is handling state of affairs.

Malawians have become restive after 20 people died when the July 20 nationwide protests turned violent. Meanwhile Mutharika has warned he would crush anyone agitating for his removal from power. (Sila Press Agency)