- Police are investigating the disappearance of four German Shepherds from Malawi’s presidential palace amid September political transition
- Former State House deputy chief of staff was arrested in connection with theft, denies wrongdoing
- Former president Lazurus Chakwera is facing allegations of resource mismanagement
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
Malawi police are investigating the disappearance of four police dogs from the presidential palace in Lilongwe.
Source: UGC
The incident is said to have occurred during the political transition in September.
The missing animals, all German Shepherds, were valued at roughly $2,300 (approximately KSh 300,00) and were reportedly taken between September 19 and October 4.
Did State House staff steal German Shephered dogs?
Godfrey Arthur Jalale, the former deputy chief of staff at State House under ex-President Lazarus Chakwera, has been arrested in connection with the theft.
Jalale, however, has denied any wrongdoing. While local reports suggested Chakwera himself had been detained, police later clarified that he had not been arrested.
Authorities confirmed they had obtained a search warrant for his residence following intelligence that the stolen dogs might have been kept there.
Chakwera, who secured 33% of the vote in the September elections and came second to President Peter Mutharika, is facing a slew of allegations tied to mismanagement of public resources during his tenure and the handover period.
His Malawi Congress Party (MCP) claims that Mutharika’s government has been targeting and intimidating the former president, though Chakwera has yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
Reports indicate that state property was looted from two official residences: Kamuzu Palace in the capital, Lilongwe, and Sanjika Palace in Blantyre, the country’s second-largest city.
According to BBC, police say investigations have been intensified in response to these reports, and they assure the public that the inquiry is proceeding methodically.
Why some Malawi MPSs boycotted Parliament
The situation has stirred political tensions. MCP lawmakers staged a boycott of parliamentary sessions and gathered outside Chakwera’s Lilongwe residence.
They were reacting to heightened police activity and rumors of a potential arrest.
Chakwera, who was previously a pastor before entering politics, accepted his electoral defeat and has largely stayed out of the public eye since September.
His first recent public engagement was an announcement of a Commonwealth appointment, which will see him assist in mediating post-election unrest in Tanzania.
Malawi is currently grappling with severe shortages of fuel and foreign currency, adding pressure on the new administration.
Source: TUKO.co.ke