African press review 6 April 2012

Our focus this Friday is on Malawi’s newspapers which went wild with allegations about the reported death of President Bingu wa Mutharika.

The story was tweeted from the capital Lilongwe all through Thursday night with the press flashing 'exclusives' that 78-year-old Mutharika passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest at Lilongwe’s Kamuzu Central hospital.

RIP RIP RIP!, shouts Maravi Post, pointing to the mystery surrounding the president’s condition. Nyasa Times reports that it has been confirmed by government authorities and officials that the president was clinically dead when he was flown to South Africa.

The paper claims that top members of the cabinet and the ruling party agreed to fly Mutharika out of the country as a formality while they worked out what to do next.

The reports have not been confirmed in South Africa, where the Malawian leader was rushed late Thursday.  A South African public broadcaster, SAFM, reported Friday morning that President Bingu wa Mutharika was admitted to Johannesburg’s Garden City clinic but wasn’t sure what his condition was or if he was still alive.

The respected Mail and Guardian based in Johannesburg, also appears short of news about the Malawian leader’s condition. The paper simply quotes sources at the clinic saying the president’s head was covered as he was brought in on a wheelchair that was carried in by one of a convoy of three cars.

Most Malawian newspapers speculate about a looming constitutional crisis in the country which is suffering from its worse economic crisis since independence. Malawi Voice lends credence to continuing speculation about a cover up, reporting a denial by the government information and civic minister that the president was even in hospital in a coma.

Maravi Post, says the decision to fly Mutharika to South Africa may be explained by his sour relations with Vice-President Joyce Banda who was recently booted out of the ruling party.

The paper points out that Vice-President Banda has established her own party since falling out with the president.

According to the newspaper, it is Peter Mutharika, the president’s own brother and foreign minister, who had been endorsed by the ruling party as its candidate in the 2014 elections.

Maravi Post also wonders if the” inner circle” of the ruling party led by “Peter” would accept Joyce Banda completing the remaining two years of Bingu wa Mutharika’s four-year-term.