Former President Dr Bakili Muluzi will represent the country’s President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika at Zambia’s 50th Independence Anniversary Celebration to be held in the capital Lusaka on October 24.

Muluzi will lead the Malawi delegation after being delegated by President Mutharika amid speculation that the governing ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is working on offering United Democratic Front (UDF) president Atupele Muluzi, son to the former leader, the position of second vice-president.

This has been disclosed through a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Cooperation addressed to Muluzi’s Chief of Staff, stating that ‘it has pleased the President to delegate the former leader to the event’.

On his part, former President said he was pleased with the gesture and he had accepted to travel to Lusaka for the event.

The news comes barely a week after President Mutharika held an audience with Muluzi at Sanjika palace in Blantyre where he briefed him on his assignment in Swaziland as a Special Envoy of the Commonwealth Secretary General.