By Jones Gadama
A desperate attempt by elements within the opposition MCP to drag the State House into the Amaryllis Hotel controversy has collapsed under scrutiny, with facts showing the entire narrative is fabricated to divert attention from senior MCP officials directly linked to the K128.7 billion deal.
The arrest of former MERA CEO Collins Magalasi, confirmed by National Police spokesperson Gladys Chiwayula, has instead vindicated President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s repeated position that he will not shield anyone found wanting.
The arrest proves that under President Mutharika’s leadership, the law is taking its course regardless of political affiliation or past service.
While President Mutharika’s administration is taking all necessary measures to bring everyone involved in the Amaryllis Hotel purchase scandal to justice, several opposition MCP members, including former Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba, have fled the country and others are attempting to shift blame away from their own involvement by spreading baseless propaganda that attempts to implicate the State House.
At the core of their narrative is an individual named Charles Gibson Nankhuni, who they claim was captured on CCTV withdrawing funds and delivering them to the State House. However, our investigations confirm that this person does not exist; the identity is entirely fabricated to support their false narrative.
Banking records, national ID databases, and police files show no trace of the individual allegedly used to withdraw the K3 billion in cash. Furthermore, the narrative fails to provide supporting evidence for its claims, omitting both the identity of the individual and the referenced CCTV footage.
Building a billion-kwacha scandal around a phantom identity exposes the entire narrative as a political fabrication designed to trend, not to seek justice.
Further, claims of “unmarked State House vehicles” and “officials from State House” at National Bank have no supporting evidence.
No State House official has been named. The vehicles mentioned in the post cannot be traced to the State House fleet. It is propaganda built on imagination.
The Amaryllis Hotel transaction began under the MCP administration of Dr. Lazarus Chakwera. It is on public record that senior MCP officials were at the heart of the negotiations and approval process.
Former SPC Zamba is among those who have been repeatedly implicated. Notably, Zamba, who fled to South Africa following the scandal, failed to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to answer questions regarding the deal, citing illness, and has yet to return to clear her name.
This raises a critical question: why is MCP now rushing to point fingers at the current administration for a deal it initiated and finalized the terms of? Political commentators say the answer is simple — diversion.
“This is a classic MCP tactic. When their own people are cornered, they cook up a story to drag the State House into it,” says political analyst Mathews Namukhoyo. “President Mutharika has shown courage by allowing action to commence on the matter.”
“The moment credible information emerged, he allowed the law to act and former CEO of Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Collins Magalasi was arrested.That is leadership. That is zero tolerance for corruption. You cannot shield anyone and also be the one ordering arrests.The President has been vindicated by his own actions.”
Namukhoyo adds that Malawians should ask why MCP is not demanding answers from its own former officials who signed off on the hotel purchase despite valuers warning it was a bad investment.
Another analyst, Lungire Phiri, was blunt in her assessment of MCP’s role. “This is shameful.
The MCP started this deal, benefited from it, and now that Parliament and the public are asking questions, they want to manufacture a State House angle. It won’t work. Malawians are not fools.
The use of a fake name like Nankhuni shows how desperate they are. Instead of running away to South Africa, let their people come to PAC and answer.”
Since returning to office in 2025, President Mutharika has maintained that no one will be protected.
The arrest of Magalasi, a former aide and party member, is proof of that principle in action. The President has not interfered.
He has not blocked investigations. He has allowed the Parliament, Police, Financial Intelligence Authority, and ACB to do their work. The Amaryllis issue must be investigated thoroughly. But that investigation must follow facts, not fiction.
It must start with those who conceived the deal, approved the K128 billion valuation, and managed the payments — most of whom served under the previous MCP Government.
Malawians deserve the truth, not propaganda. They deserve accountability, not a smear campaign using fake names to tarnish the Presidency.
As the law takes its course, one thing is clear: President Mutharika’s administration is cleaning house, and he will not be distracted by desperate political theatrics.
