Joyce Banda back in town

Joyce Banda’s return from a self-imposed four-year exile was punctuated by tears, smiles and laughter at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre but she fell short of defining her political future, saying she has to study the political landscape first.

Banda, whose tenure was characterised by the plunder of public resources in government known as Cashgate, told the media that she was not aware of the existence of a warrant for her arrest.

Upon arrival at noon, Banda, who is also leader of  People’s Party (PP), spent almost one hour in the airport’s VIP lounge where she met party officials and members of her family.

Outside, party officials and youths stood guard on the entrance, vetting those that had a chance to enter.

Jostling was the order of the day as excited members, happy that Banda was finally in, tried to position themselves to get a good glimpse of her as she exited.

One of the lawyers the former president use, Bright Theu, was also allowed entry to meet her and his presence attracted speculation that it was a calculated plan in case authorities decided to arrest her, especially when Malawi Police Service indicated a few days ago that her warrant for arrest in connection with plunder of public funds dubbed Cashgate was still valid.

“Let them dare come and arrest her,” one youth was heard telling his friends.

“Amayi abwera! magetsi ayake! amayi abwera, magetsi ayake! [Our mother is here, we should now have electricity!” chanted a group of PP youths as the former president was still inside.

Other dance performances were also taking place in one of the lorries parked at the airport’s mini stadium.

At the entrance to the lounge, some PP youths shoved and forced two journalists from State-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), accusing them of negative reporting against Banda.

The two reporters, Sam Phiri and George Mkandawire, were among journalists that attempted to make their way in the lounge, but PP youths spotted them and shoved them away.

Journalists from other media houses were also denied entry upon a communication party officials made that the former president would only allow journalists from Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS), Times Group.

The party officials also facilitated entry of journalists from Ufulu Radio and Television.

Inside, the former president is reported to have said she was not playing politics while living outside Malawi but was busy with important activities, including publishing a paper on women leadership in Africa, something that will be published into a book.

She said she has been observing and listening to what PP officials have been saying, what Malawians want and getting to understand the current political landscape before she decides what to do.

But a political analyst Henry Chingaipe has already dampened prospects that her return will have a bearing on next year’s polls.

“If she is coming home just to be at home then well that’s good enough. But if she is coming to contest for the presidency, it might be a sign that she is being misled. Her party is in tatters. The decision to leave the country for so long eroded trust of Malawians in her leadership,” Chingaipe said earlier to our sister newspaper, The Nation.

When Banda finally came out, accompanied by her husband Richard, she was welcomed to jubilant chants as she made her way to the podium escorted by PP officials such as legislator Ibrahim Matola and executive official Yusuf Matumula.

She told the crowd that she thought PP was dead, but was thankful to God for all His mercies and thanked them for their unfaltering love.

Banda said she would talk more later, but the public address (PA) system let her down as she could hardly be heard. In fact, she started talking without the PA system as technicians were working on it.

One woman clad in PP colours was seen shedding tears after she hugged the former president and exchanged a few words with her as she was leaving the airport.

Banda is expected to hold a rally today in Blantyre, according to her spokesperson Andekuche Chanthunya.

He said earlier that Banda would immediately resume her role as head of PP, hinting at the possibility of her running in the 2019 elections.

Said Chanthunya: “We will hear her thoughts on Sunday when she addresses a political rally, but what we know is that she remains the head of the PP and as PP president, she can contest for the presidency.

“The question of whether she wants to contest for the presidency or not will be answered in due course, but we may get an idea of how she is thinking when she addresses the rally. But the general principle is that the PP convention will decide on who is going to be its presidential candidate.”

Last year, Banda reportedly cancelled her return home hours after the police issued a warrant for her arrest.

Banda made history by becoming Malawi’s first female president and the second woman to lead a country in Africa.

She took power in April 2012 following the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika, who headed the country since 2004. n