|
JOBS | DATING | PROPERTY | SHOPPING |
|
|
THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2010 11:35 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2010 11:35 |
|
Malawi's ex-president Bakili Muluzi has formed an alliance with the party that he toppled 15 years ago, officials said on Thursday, in the latest political shake-up before polls next month. Muluzi's United Democratic Front (UDF) is now backing the party of the notorious former dictator Kamuzu Banda, top UDF official Humphrey Mvula said. Banda and his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) ruled the poor southern African nation with an iron fist for three decades before losing to Muluzi in the first multi-party elections in 1994. Despite years of bitter feuding between the rivals, Muluzi now appears to be backing MCP's presidential candidate John Tembo in the May 19 election, when he will face incumbent President Bingu wa Mutharika. "Its a winning strategy," said Mvula. "The two parties have agreed to work together towards an election coalition with the view of achieving common goals." Tembo and Muluzi met in the commercial capital Blantyre late on Wednesday to ink the pact, officials said. "Our supporters must support this cause," Muluzi said on local radio. Tembo was for decades a top aide to Banda, and Muluzi's supporters had often accused the dictator's party of human rights atrocities. Muluzi once arrested Banda, who was in his 90s, over the mysterious deaths of four prominent politicians in 1983.  CONTINUES BELOW Banda, who died in 1997, was acquitted of the charges. Muluzi had sought to run for president again this year, even though he has already reached the two-term limit set out in the Constitution. He is arguing before a court that the limit applies only to consecutive terms, but has yet to receive a ruling. His candidacy was also complicated by corruption charges, accusing him of embezzling $12-million in aid money during his time in office. -- Sapa-AFP TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
Comments
click here to log in
M&G Online Comment Guidelines In Brief
Advertising Links
|
2,3-million titles to choose from.
iPod nano 16GB - Black, Was R2,499.00 Now R2,299.00! Save R200!
46 000 DVDs and Blu-Ray on sale now!
100s of new releases now in stock. Get the new Sade & Bon Jovi albums.
Widest toy range and unbeatable prices!
AdvertisementsAdvertising links |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 comments
Make us your home page | Add our headlines to your site | Desktop news with NewsFlash
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
 |  |  |