Government laughs off SKC murder plot

Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi has laughed off claims by estranged Vice-President Saulos Chilima that there is an assassination plot against him, saying it is an attempt “to score cheap political points”.

The minister, who is alsospokesperson for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which Chilimaditched in June this year, was responding to the Vice-President’s claims madeat a UTM rally in Mwanza on Friday that there is a hit squad organised by theState that is trailing him in a bid to assassinate him.

The minister, who is alsospokesperson for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which Chilimaditched in June this year, was responding to the Vice-President’s claims madeat a UTM rally in Mwanza on Friday that there is a hit squad organised by theState that is trailing him in a bid to assassinate him.

But in an interview yesterday, Dausi said he could not believe that the Vice-President would make the allegations when he has round-the-clock security.

Said the minister: “It is unfortunate these allegations are coming from someone who has State security taking care of him everywhere. Is he not the very same man who went to court to fight against the reduction of his security personnel?

“Now does he want to tell us that he does not believe in his own security? Oh, my friend, that is not logical.”

Dausi said the country’s political landscape has been graced by several personalities such as the late Gwanda Chakuamba, and Chakufwa Chihana who never alleged any assassination plot against them from the State.

He said: “Why does Chilima, all of a sudden, think the State will be against him? The problem with him is that he overrates himself. He thinks he is the most important politician in Malawi. By making these wild allegations, he just wants to score cheap political points.”

In January 2005, former president Bingu wa Mutharika also alleged there were assassins hired to eliminate him at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.

Bingu, elder brother to incumbent President Peter Mutharika, later dumped the United Democratic Front (UDF), a party that sponsored his presidential ticket, to form DPP. Several personalities were arrested in connection with the assassination plot claims, but the purported suspects were later cleared and compensated.

During the Mwanza rally, Chilima claimed he had names of those plotting to kill him. He said some of the alleged assassins are from within Malawi and some are from South Africa.

He said: “I have intelligence that there is a plot to kill me through poisoning me, staging a road accident like in the manner in which the Mwanza Four [three Cabinet ministers and a legislator in 1983] died or by shooting me with a gun.

“After failing miserably to stop the registration of UTM and stopping us from conducting rallies, you are now resorting to killing people.”

Chilima claimed that he met one of the assassins at Tsangano Turn-off trading centre along the M1 Road in Ntcheu last week, but the hired assassin escaped through the crowds upon locking eyes with him.

He said: “I have the names of the assassins. One person is from here in Mwanza. But I will not mention his name… And, to the National Police Headquarters at Area 30 in Lilongwe, do not bother to call or write me to provide the names to you. You should just do your job by finding out for yourself.”

Chilima said as a precautionary measure, he has shared the names of the hired assassins with his close associates to know how to manage the situation in the event of anything happening.

Sounding composed, the UTM leader said he was ready to die for the country just as martyrs such as John Chilembwe who staged an uprising against the colonial administration in 1915.

Ironically, Chilima is predominantly self-driving his personal Toyota Hilux double cabin pickup on his whistle-stop tours across the country with the Office of the Vice-President’s security vehicles trailing him or leading the way. On Friday, the day he made public the allegations, he had driven from Tsangano Turn-Off on the M1 through Neno to Blantyre-Mwanza Road, a distance of about 137 kilometres.

When asked whether UTM has lodged a formal complaint with the police, UTM interim spokesperson Joseph Chidanti Malunga distanced the party from having any knowledge of the plot, saying: “The Vice-President did not make those remarks as UTM president, but in his capacity as Vice-President of the country. As such, the party cannot take up this matter, but the Office of the Vice-President.”

One of Chilima’s close associates corroborated the Vice-President’s alleged assassination plot, saying some well-wishers in the State intelligence apparatus shared the alleged clandestine scheme.

The associate said the Vice-President was not exaggerating the issue.

Said the associate: “In fact, the grand scheme includes releasing some hardcore prisoners to carry out the mission and after delivering, the ex-prisoners will also be killed to ensure there is no evidence.”

In October this year, the High Court granted Chilima an order stopping Malawi Police Service (MPS) from tampering with his security detail. The order followed an application the Vice-President filed through private law firm, Ritz Attorneys, stopping the Inspector General (IG) of Police Rodney Jose from transferring 42 Police Mobile Force officers from the Office of the Vice-President until an inter partes hearing on the matter.

Since Chilima dumped the DPP in June this year to form lead the UTM, a party that is canvassing for his presidency in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections, there has been bad blood between him and the DPP administration.