Government agents arrested Muluzi upon his arrival at Kamuzu International Airport from a private visit in the United Kingdom.

Both human rights activists and political analysts have questioned the way the former president was handled, describing it as a violation of human rights as enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Riights and Freedoms.
Even the embittered Muluzi himself described the move as "intimidation of the highest order" on his privately-owned Joy Radio, raising fears that the country may be drifting into the abyss.

Many people speculate that his arrest may be linked to his being elected the United Democratic Front (UDF) torch bearer during the forth-coming Presidential (and Parliamentary elections) slated for May 19, 2009.

The backing from the human rights activists may have surprised many, as it is the same people who have criticised his bid to run for office again -apparently for a third term discouraged in the Republican Constitution. They describe it as more selfish than national because the purpotedly 'ungreatful' Muluzi has often-times made it clear that his sole motivation is to propel incumbent Bingu wa Mutharika out of power.

Mutharika was elected on a UDF ticket but dumped the party on February 5, 2005, purpotedly because one of the party's big wigs, the late Dumbo Lemani, told journalists at a press briefing that the party rigged the 2004 Presidential election in favour of Mutharika. Mutharika retariated by saying he could not be party to a political grouping that claims to have "stolen the will (vote) of the Malawian people" and, thus, dumped the party.

Political analysts blame all of Malawi's current political problems to that one decision, announced at a national Anti-Corruption Day.

Blessings Chinsinja, a political scientist based at the Northern-Malawi University of Mzuzu, said by arresting Muluzi, government has shown carelessness and that the move was more likely to rile UDF MPs into rejecting the budget.

Apparently, Muluzi's arrest came fast on the heels of the president's departure for Japan, where he is attending an African-Japan summit aimed at looking at ways by which Japan could best operate with Africa -in the interest of both Africa and herself.

"It is a poorly-timed decision; it will bring up utter dismay from the opposition UDF. And, as you know, the UDF and the Malawi Congress Party (Malawi's biggest opposition party from whence comes leader of opposition in Parliament, John Tembo) seem to be working under a silent alliance or agreement. It spells disaster for (President) Bingu (wa Mutharika), if these parties decide to gang up against the budget," said Chinsinga.

If that happened, it could not be the first time the opposition threatens to topedo the national budget. It has happened since 2004 when Mutharika took over the reigns of power from Muluzi.

It happened when Mutharika was still member of the UDF because, party insiders said, the President refused to follow the dictates of a list of cabinet designates drawn up by the former president, afraid that it could be an overture through which Muluzi still wanted to rule 'behind the curtain, or by remete control'.

It took the efforts of Vice President Cassim Chilumpha, who is currently answering to charges of plotting to assassinate Mutharika, to cool the hearts of the 'boot-licking' UDF MPs by promising them that he would persuade government to drill boreholes in each of their constituencies.

The trend has continued even after his dumping of the UDF, mainly because the former ruling party is still bitter Bingu's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) got into power through the 'back-door', while the MCP is still licking the wounds of a winning party robbed of the accolade, apparently by the same Muluzi it is, indirectly, fighting against.

The former president's government also arrested founding president Kamuzu Banda, on allegations of murdering three cabinet ministers and an MP in 1983, in the southern-Malawi border district of Mwanza. Mutharika attended the commemoration of their death this year, the first to be attended by a Malawian head of state.

Another Political Scientist, Mustapha Hussein, from Chancellor College, a constitutent college of the University of Malawi, faulted Mutharika for the development.

He could not understand why the arrest came at a time when there are clergy-mediated talks going on, to unite the ruling DPP and opposition parties -a development he described as crucial to smooth passage of the budget in parliament.

"It is bringing up unnecessary fear among Malawians, and people are wondering whether the 2009 polls will be free and fair. Already, the political landscape is replete with cases of intimidation, summary arrests, and the muzzling of political freedoms," said Hussein.