Self-Exiled Malawi’s Former President Returns Home

Former President of Malawi Joyce Banda will return home this Saturday marking the end of more than three years in self-imposed exile.

Banda the president of People’s Party PP left the country soon after losing the 2014 presidential elections to President Professor Peter Mutharika.

PP deputy spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda confirmed that Banda will come to Malawi on April 28, 2018.

“I can confirm that as a party we have received communication from the office of the office of the former president that she arrives back in Malawi on Saturday to stay,” Band anda said.

Joyce Banda’s spokesperson Andekuche Chanthunya also confirmed that the former president will arrive through Chileka International Airport in Blantyre.

However, Banda faces a warrant of arrest which police say is still valid.

Last July police issued a warrant of arrest against Banda over alleged abuse of office and money laundering offences, allegedly committed over a two year period when she was in office.

“The alleged offences were part of cashgate-a corruption scandal uncovered in 2013 in which senior government officers siphoned billions of dollars from state coffers,” said Malawi police public relations officer James Kadadzera

Chanthunya said Joyce Banda will hold a mass rally on Sunday in Blantyre.

Meanwhile, political analysts have raised doubts about the impact of Banda on next year’s elections.

The return of Banda had been previously announced and halted.