By Suleman Chitera
President Peter Mutharika has delivered a blunt message to his predecessor Lazarus Chakwera: law-enforcement agencies will continue to arrest suspects where there is clear, demonstrable evidence—and those cases will be fast-tracked to trial.
The President made the position unmistakably clear during a direct phone call with Chakwera, initiated after the former head of state publicly complained about what he described as “political arrests” under the current administration.
Mutharika rejected the accusation outright, stressing that the present approach marks a decisive break from the past. He reportedly reminded Chakwera that during his tenure, high-profile arrests were frequently executed without evidence, resulting in years of legal stagnation and not a single conviction.
“This time is different,” Mutharika is said to have told Chakwera. “Arrests will be evidence-led, cases will be prosecuted, and suspects will be brought before the courts within the shortest possible time.”
The exchange follows a statement by Chakwera in which he confirmed contacting Mutharika to protest arrests involving senior figures from the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), including Secretary General Richard Chimwendo Banda. Chakwera framed the developments as politically motivated—an assertion the current administration flatly disputes.
Government insiders argue that invoking “political arrests” has become a convenient shield for suspects facing credible allegations. They insist that accountability cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political sensitivity and that no individual or party enjoys immunity from the law.
Critically, the administration has underscored a point that haunted Chakwera’s years in office: arrests without evidence erode public trust and weaponize institutions. By contrast, officials say, evidence-driven investigations followed by swift prosecution restore confidence and deter corruption.
The message from State House is unambiguous. Complaints will not derail lawful processes; political noise will not override proof. If there is evidence, arrests will be made. If charges are laid, trials will proceed. And unlike the past, the courts—not press statements—will deliver the verdicts.
