By Pemphero Malimba & Rebecca Chimjeka Matemba:
Former Cabinet ministers in the immediate-past Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration Richard Chimwendo Banda, Vitumbiko Mumba and Jessie Kabwila are expected to appear before court in Lilongwe this week to be formally charged with respective charges levelled against them.
Malawi Police Service deputy spokesperson Alfred Chimthere has confirmed the development.
On the other hand, Kabwila was arrested on Sunday after handing herself in at Area 30 Police Headquarters in the administrative capital, Lilongwe.
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Chimwendo Banda handed himself to Area 30 Police Headquarters while Mumba was arrested at his house in Area 47 in the city.
The officials were taken to Kanengo and Lingadzi Police Station, respectively, where Chimwendo Banda and Mumba spent the whole weekend while Kabwila spent last night in custody.
Chimwendo Banda, who is the current MCP secretary general, told our sister paper Malawi News on Friday that he was charged with attempted murder, allegedly committed during the time he was MCP director of youth about four years ago.
On the other hand, Mumba, who was MCP president Lazarus Chakwera’s running mate in the September 16, 2025 Presidential Election, is alleged to have made comments that have not gone down well with the law enforcers.
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The comments were allegedly made at a press briefing held in Lilongwe after the elections but before the official announcement of results.
At the event, Mumba is alleged to have said that they were some electoral irregularities.
Chimthere said the police would take the suspects to court this week.
“They [Chimwendo Banda and Mumba] will appear before court any day [of] the week beginning tomorrow. Honourable Jessy Kabwila is also in custody,’ Chimthere said.
He said more details would surface once the matter was taken to court.
This comes following the recent arrest of former Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba and former deputy Chief of Staff for state residences Godfrey Arthur Jalale.
Recently, MCP director of youth Steven Malondera told the party’s youth rally at the party’s headquarters in Lilongwe that the Democratic Progressive Party-led administration had facilitated 17 warrants of arrest targeting leaders of the former MCP government.
Malondera alleged that the arrests were intended to be made soon after the closure of parliamentary deliberations on December 5, 2025.
However, responding to the allegations, government spokesperson Shadric Namalomba told The Daily Times that the law would take its course on people who looted the country’s public resources.
“Let me emphasise that no amount [of] political sympathies will save those who embezzled public resources and committed crimes against the people of Malawi. All government institutions are urged to carry out their duties without favour or ill will,” Namalomba said.
