Maravi

Sata forgives Bingu

Sata forgives Bingu
By Bright Mukwasa
Sat 31 Dec. 2011, 14:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata says he has forgiven Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika over his deportation from that country in 2007. And Malawi information minister Patricia Kaliati yesterday welcomed President Sata's decision, saying the move was a good development for both countries.

President Mutharika's government arrested President Sata, then opposition leader in 2007 when he entered Malawi to visit former president Bakili Muluzi. On 15 March 2007, Sata was deported from Malawi shortly after arrival.

President Sata was bundled into a car, driven several hundred kilometres, dumped at the border and told he could never go back to that country.

President Sata said he was only there to meet with the business community, and alleged that the Zambian government had effected the deportation by falsely claiming that he was in Malawi to assist Muluzi. The Zambian government denied this statement while the Malawian government gave no explanation for President Sata's deportation.

On 6 April, 2007, President Sata's lawyer Ralph Kasambara said that he had initiated a lawsuit against the Malawian government for violating his rights.

And since winning elections, relations between Malawi and Zambia at presidential level had been strained.

President Sata said at State House yesterday after a closed-door meeting with Muluzi, who was in the country for a two-day private visit, that he decided to bury the hatchet in the interest of both countries.

Muluzi, who has reconciliation problems with President Mutharika and his government over corruption allegations, is said to have brokered the peace between the two Presidents.

"His Muluzi coming here was to reconcile Zambia with Malawi where the president wants us to forget about the incident which happened when I was deported from Malawi and we feel that Malawi and Zambia are bigger than Michael Sata and Bingu wa Mutharika and I have agreed," President Sata said without stating whether the deportation ban had been lifted or his pending court case in that country had been discontinued.

"I have given him a message to convey to President Bingu wa Mutharika that as far as I am concerned, let bygones be bygones, so any time, we shall see you in Malawi."

Muluzi was however not sent to Zambia by President Mutharika to come and normalise the relations between the two heads of state.

In October this year, President Sata turned down an invitation by Malawi to attend the Comesa heads of state summit for the same reason.

And Kaliati said her government would handle the matter at a ‘higher level' between the two governments.

However, Kaliati blamed the media, accusing them of having blown the diplomatic row out of proportion and referred further questions to her Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"It's a good development yes, but I know you media whatever I say you won't even take that; you'll take the wrong thing. We are one country," said Kaliati.

Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, MALAWI, MICHAEL SATA, PATRICIA KALIATI

posted by MrK @ 5:13 PM