By Twink Jones Gadama
In a scathing response to Karan Thom’s recent interview on Sunday MBC Exclusive, former President of Malawi and leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, has denounced Thom’s statements as “false and malicious”.
According to a press release issued by Mutharika’s office, Thom’s claims of being a member of the Mutharika family are completely fabricated. The release states that Thom was first introduced to the Mutharika family in 1999, when he was brought to a rally in Njamba by two rival politicians to discredit Bingu wa Mutharika, who was running for president under the United Party (UP) ticket at the time.
Thom, who was in his 60s at the time, falsely claimed to be a member of the Mutharika family, but when invited to the village to explain his relationship with the family, he was unable to provide any credible explanation.
Fast forward to the 2019 election, Thom was “dug up” by another rival politician and brought to a rally at Goliati, where he was promised a house. However, this promise was never fulfilled.
Now, with another election approaching, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has resurfaced Thom through the Sunday interview, where he claims to be the son of the young brother of Mutharika’s father. However, Mutharika’s office has dismissed this claim as “false and fictitious,” stating that Mutharika’s uncle spent his entire life in Tanzania and only returned in the late 60s with his Tanzanian wife and two young children.
Mutharika’s office has also denied Thom’s claim of creating the DPP logo (chimanga folo), stating that this claim is as fictitious as his claim to being a member of the Mutharika family.
The press release concludes by urging the MCP and other rival politicians to desist from exploiting Thom for their political gain. “This man is an imposter and a dishonest person,” the release states. “He is only hired by enemies during election time to slander and defame the Mutharika name.”
The latest development comes as Mutharika prepares to lead his party into the 2025 presidential election. Mutharika has been officially announced as the DPP’s candidate for the election, and has claimed that he is fit to rule the country again.
As the election season heats up, it remains to be seen how the latest developments will play out. One thing is certain, however: the battle for the presidency will be fiercely contested, and no stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of power.
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