Malawi’s state broadcaster was forced into an embarrassing climbdown on Tuesday after reporting that President Peter Mutharika was jetting off to South Africa on yet another mysterious “private visit” — only to yank the story just hours later, sparking accusations of a cover-up.
The Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) had published the story on its digital platform, but it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared — not before eagle-eyed social media users grabbed screenshots and shared them far and wide.
The since-deleted report, written by MBC reporter Alinafe Mlamba, cited an official communication from Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Justin Saidi, confirming the president’s travel plans.
But insiders at the broadcaster claim MBC boss Brian Banda personally ordered the story pulled — without explaining why.
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Sources inside the newsroom went further, alleging Banda admitted he’d been leaned on by a senior government politician who wanted the story kept firmly under wraps.
According to the original statement MBC relied on, Mutharika, 86, was due to depart from Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe on Tuesday. His press secretary, Cathy Maulidi, remained tight-lipped when approached for comment.
Suspicions were further fuelled by a heavy police presence spotted along the road to the airport during the afternoon — the tell-tale sign of a Head of State’s convoy on the move.
Apparently the trip was moved to Wednesday.
It’s far from the first time Mutharika has slipped off to South Africa on a hush-hush “private” trip, with the secretive jaunts repeatedly sparking feverish speculation back home.
The Democratic Progressive Party leader swept back to power after winning the presidential election on September 16, 2025, defeating incumbent Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party.
It marks a remarkable political comeback for Mutharika, who previously ruled Malawi from 2014 to 2020 — before being ousted by Chakwera in a rerun election, after the Constitutional Court sensationally annulled the 2019 poll over widespread irregularities.
