Malawi: Govt Bars Chilumpha

Source from:  The Chronicle Newspaper (Lilongwe) April 3, 2006 04/04/2006

The government has issued orders that Vice President Cassim Chilumpha should not attend the opening ceremony of parliament tomorrow, saying the pending judicial review case in the High Court of Malawi in Blantyre which he is fighting against his constructive resignation from the post of vice president. Sources in the office of the Vice President confirmed that Parliament invited Chilumpha to attend the opening ceremony but the government has since cancelled the invitation. The sources said Chilumpha accepted the invitation but could not attend after the government issued the order. Personal Assistant to the Speaker, Henry Kamala, who was responsible for handling invitations of very very important people (VVIP) officials, said the list of invited people comes from the department of public events through parliament to the Office of the President and Cabinet for approval if it is a state function. "It is difficult this time for me to know whether Chilumpha will attend or not because the list of invitees comes from the Public Events department. We access it (the list) from there and we can change nothing because the list is sent to the OPC. The list is always guided by the protocol of government structure and setting," he said. But Kamala could not confirm the invitation of Chilumpha. Minister of Information and Tourism Patricia Kaliati said the government has a right as to who should be invited during presidential functions. "Why should the vice president be invited? Is he an MP? In what capacity should the government invite him? We are tired of commenting about Chilumpha? Why can't you ask me about sales of tobacco?" wondered Kaliati. The State House has since issued a press release which says Mutharika is gravely concerned by attempts by Chilumpha to "mislead the general public that there is reconciliation taking place between them." "The position of the government on his constructive resignation still remains as that communicated to him in the president's letter dated 8th February 2006. Furthermore, there is nothing special in him moving to Lilongwe since this has been a presidential directive which Dr. Cassim Chilumpha had disobeyed ever since His Excellency Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika took over leadership of the country," says the press release. The press release, signed by the State House Press Officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi says Dr. Chilumpha is strongly advised to refrain from attending presidential functions because there is no way he can drag his president to court and still expect society to treat him as a loyal and respectful deputy. The Vice President's spokesperson Horace Nyaka refused to comment on the issue. Meanwhile, media reports indicate that the vice president has hired George Bizos, former South African president Nelson Mandela's lawyer to represent him in his constructive resignation case against government slated for hearing on April 7, 2006. Enditem