Men sammensværgelsen fandt godt nok sted for et år siden, da fremtrædende ministre tilsyneladende ville forhindre, at det fattige sydafrikanske land fik sin første kvindelige præsident efter den hidtidige præsidents pludselige død.
At least 10 people in Malawi, including current and former government ministers, have been arrested over an alleged coup plot to prevent President Joyce Banda from taking power last year, BBC online writes Monday.
Police fired tear gas to break up a crowd protesting against the arrests in the main city, Blantyre.
Eight former government ministers have been arrested, including ex-Health Minister Jean Kalirani, Presidential Affairs Minister Nicholas Dausi, government minister Goodall Gondwe and ex-minister Peter Mutharika.
A report, presented to Ms Banda following an official inquiry, alleged that government ministers and other senior officials held a number of secret meetings aimed at preventing Ms Banda – then vice-president – from assuming the presidency in accordance with the constitution.
According to the report, Peter Mutharika, a brother of the former president and a former foreign minister, and Mr Gondwe, the current economic planning minister, had suggested to army commander Gen Henry Odillo that the military “just take over”.
However, the report quotes Gen Odillo as saying “he was uncomfortable with the suggestion for it was not provided for in the constitution”.
Peter Mutharika is the presidential candidate of the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in elections due next year.
Former First Lady Callista Mutharika said about President Banda, that “we are told that women leaders are better because women are empathetic – is this what we are seeing now?”
“She [Ms Banda] goes on public podia preaching forgiveness, even quoting biblical verses – is there forgiveness here?” she stated.
