Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s 2014 candidature in the Presidential race for the tripartite elections has been put under doubts with the recent revelations that indeed he holds a green card to the US and is not a citizen as he has always claimed, FaceofMalawi understands.
According to lawyer Justin Dzonzi, one can challenge Mutharika’s aspirations in a court of law for being a holder of the green card for it means that he owes allegiance to another country. The country’s constitution does not allow dual citizenship and bars anyone who is a dual citizen of contesting for a public office.
“The fact that a person holds a green card means that the person owes a certain allegiance to the US such as payment of taxes and maintaining a permanent residence in the US. Having a green card actually is the first step towards becoming a naturalized citizen of the US,” said Dzonzi.
To this end, Dzonzi said that Mutharika’s candidacy can be challenged in a court of law so as to get clarification if he is eligible to stand or not.
Over the weekend, DPP supporters heaved a sigh of relief when the US embassy in Malawi confirmed Mutharika’s claims all along that he is not a citizen of the US but a mere green card holder.
In 2004, former President Bakili Muluzi faced a last minute set-back when the Electoral Commission declared that he was not allowed to contest in the elections for having served as a President for two consecutive terms.
