Muslims in Malawi has accused some Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) trustees and executive members of receiving bribes from Professor Peter Mutharika, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) torchbearer for 2014 general elections.
According to National Zakaat Fund national chairman, Biton Ajawa who is also one of the executive members said some MAM executive members and trustees on Thursday evening received K50, 000 each from Professor Peter Mutharika as one way of lobbying the Muslim community to support his 2014 presidential bid.
Ajawa said on Wednesday they received a call that there was an emergency meeting at MAM offices on Thursday but the meeting was later shifted to take place at Sidik Mia’s resident in Kabula where they met head to head with Professor Peter Mutharika. Mia is one of the MAM executive members and former honourable minister of Transport and public infrastructure.
“We were invited to break our fasting at Mia’s residence at Kabula. We were surprised that upon arrival, we found Professor Peter Mutharika at the lounge and we were advised by Mia that he wanted to interact with us. To me I found that to be unacceptable and I walked out after breaking my fast because I wondered with Mutharika’s presence considering that he is a politician and at the same time, not a Muslim. And at the end he pocketed everybody K50,000 the thing I found as not good to me and the Muslim community at large because that is a bribe,” said Ajawa in exclusive interview with reporters after Iftaar programme organised by Islamic Concern Organisation at Quran House in Blantyre yesterday.
The NAZAF chair has since warned the MAM chairman and his Secretary General “not to take us for granted” and has given the Board of Trustees chairman and his vice 10 days ultimatum to resign or else ‘face the music.’
“Me, Ajawa I am asking the Honourable Sidik Mia and Chief Kadwere to resign as MAM board of trustees chairman and vice chairman respectively because what they did is ridiculous. They fooled us all because they cannot invite us without telling us what was there. MAM should know that Muslims have different parties they follow; therefore, they cannot force all Muslims to follow one party. If they do not resign within 10 days, we are going to have a meeting with all concerned Muslims to see the way forward,” he lamented.
However, efforts to hear views of the trustees proved futile as their phones were out of reach when we went to press.
UPDATE
Professor Peter Mutharika has since denied on the allegations saying he is not even aware of the meeting while Honourbale Sidik Mia hang up his phone. The Nation Newspaper reported.
