Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LILONGWE590
2006-07-12 05:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:  

MULUZI RETURNS - HIS ARREST TO FOLLOW?

Tags:  PGOV KDEM KCOR MI 
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VZCZCXRO6068
RR RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLG #0590 1930507
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 120507Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3003
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0222
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0119
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//JIC
C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000590 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S KAMANA MATHER
STATE FOR INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2011
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KCOR MI
SUBJECT: MULUZI RETURNS - HIS ARREST TO FOLLOW?

Classified By: Political Officer Tyler Sparks for reasons 1.4 b and d.

C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000590

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S KAMANA MATHER
STATE FOR INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2011
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KCOR MI
SUBJECT: MULUZI RETURNS - HIS ARREST TO FOLLOW?

Classified By: Political Officer Tyler Sparks for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) Summary: Former President Bakili Muluzi returned to
Malawi on July 9, after spending the last seven months in the
U.K., ostensibly for medical care. In a speech given at the
airport Muluzi disassociated himself with any impeachment
attempt against President Mutharika, and told his supporters
to look forward to 2009's presidential election. Embassy
sources report that Muluzi plans to stay in Malawi for only
three weeks before leaving for the U.S., where he plans to
take up an academic position with Boston University.
However, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director privately
told Poloff that the ACB plans to question, then arrest,
Muluzi "shortly" after his arrival in Malawi. It is not clear
whether the ACB will be able to take action before Muluzi
departs. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Over five thousand supporters met Muluzi at the
airport in Blantyre, Malawi's commercial capital, on Sunday.
Muluzi told the crowd to focus on the next election, instead
of impeaching the current president, and claimed he would not
run for president again in 2009. (Comment: We wonder whether
that,s the last word. There is no other viable candidate in
the United Democratic Front (UDF). Most observers assume
that Muluzi will in fact stand in the election.)


3. (C) At the official Fourth of July function Atupele
Muluzi, a member of Parliament and the former President's
son, told Embassy officials that his father would only be in
Malawi for three weeks. Atupele Muluzi stated that the former
President was conscious of the "impression that he was here
to cause trouble, and wants to remove himself from the
country to avoid that assumption." Atupele said that
his father would be going to the U.S. to take up an offer
from Boston University to join their faculty for one year as
a visiting professor.


4. (C) At a meeting on June 27th ACB Director Gustaf Kaliwo
told PolOff that the ACB is ready to move forward with six
corruption charges against former President Muluzi. However,
the ACB is still investigating a number of other charges,
particularly those linked to a case involving Muluzi and the
former Ambassador to Japan, John Chikago. The ACB would like
to question Muluzi about his involvement
in the case, and according to Kaliwo they hope to do so
before they arrest him on the other charges. That said,
Kaliwo did confirm that they plan to arrest Muluzi, and that
they plan to do so sooner rather than later.


5. (C) Comment: We wonder whether some sort of deal has been
reached between Muluzi and the government, trading Muluzi,s
continued absence from the country and moderation in his
political comments for abstention from prosecuting him on
corruption charges. Muluzi's return could serve to
reinvigorate the UDF, which has been splintered and
directionless since his departure, should he succumb to the
expected intense pressure on him to stay in country and
exercise his leadership role. Though he still seemed very
much the political operator upon his arrival, he was very
quick to allay concerns that he would be pushing for
impeachment and dodged questions about giving up his role in
politics in general.
End Comment.


EASTHAM