President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has again accused former President Dr. Joyce Banda of plotting to kill him during two years reign of power.

Mutharika said this on Thursday after receiving an African Leadership award from the African Leadership Magazine Group in recognition for his statesmanship held at Ragis hotel in New York, USA.

While congratulating the Magazine for recognizing him over his role of fighting for social justice, Mutharika said his two years in the oppositions was very tough.

“I took over the leadership of my political party soon after the death of my brother, Professor Bingu wa Mutharika who mysteriously died while serving as the State President of Malawi. Mrs. Joyce Banda took over the leadership while we were in Opposition.

“In the two years we were in Opposition, I was earmarked either for the graveyard or the prison. Every criminal accusation was made; and every attempt on my life was tried. Pressing forward, surviving and persevering to the last I said, “I will never revenge,” said Mutharika.

He added: “I came into the leadership of my country through the most dramatic election in modern African democracy. My predecessor tried to frustrate the election and prevent me from being sworn in using every means available. She ordered the Army to stage a coup d’état and take over her own Government to create a state of anarchy. The Army acted professionally and refused. The Constitution was tried and failed to frustrate the election. In fact, my predecessor refused to hand over power to me.”

Mutharika said he took over government that was technically bankrupt.

“Our country had just suffered the worst plunder of public funds ever known in modern history. We have since called it Cashgate because it involved the looting of huge sums of cash from Government accounts.

“Donors left Malawi and they have never returned with any budgetary support. We quickly learnt to run Government and implementing development programmes within our means,” said Mutharika.

On his part, Ken Giami, Publisher and CEO of African Leadership Magazine, said Mutharika deserved the award because of the “exceptionally” good work he was doing for Malawi.