Peoples Development Party (PDP) President Dr. Kondwani Nankhumwa has claimed that late Dr. Saulos Chilima wanted to return to the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as the court was hearing the 2019 Presidential court case.
Nankhumwa revealed this during in a cruse 5 programe hosted Joab Frank Chakhaza aired on Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS).
In the interview Nankhumwa claimed that Chilima was peace loving man.
“When the court case hearing was still ongoing, SKC secretly approached APM for reconciliation and he used me to pass the message to Mutharika which I did but Mutharika set out three conditions namely; SKC must withdraw the court case, SKC must convene a Press Conference and condemn the mass demonstrations and SKC must not be part of the mass demonstrations going forward,” said Nankhumwa.
According to Nankhumwa, SKC agreed, but with some slight changes proposed by himself.
“Instead of stopping the Court Case, additional UTM witnesses to the court case would no longer be made available, Chilima would no longer participate in mass demonstrations in person. SKC believed that this would reduce people’s interest in the demonstrations and they would become devoid of Chikoka. Chilima also said that his return is not to take up the Vice Presidency post but be deployed a Diplomat to UN in New York,” said Nankhumwa.
According to Nankhumwa, Mutharika rejected the reconciliation proposal after the court called for fresh elections.
He claimed that Chilima wanted to kill him as was the case with his late brother Bingu wa Mutharika and take over the leadership mantle.
“I will not meet him. Chilima wants to kill me and take over the Presidency and make you (Nankhumwa) his Vice,” Mutharika told Nankhumwa.