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Malawi president 'a bad choice'
Former President Bakili Muluzi has apologised to Malawians for choosing a
successor who has turned against him.
Current President Bingu wa Mutharika was proposed by Mr Muluzi as the United
Democratic Front candidate in the 2004 presidential elections.
But he resigned from the UDF after a bitter political tussle and is now
launching his own political party.
President Mutharika accuses Mr Muluzi of thwarting his high-profile
anti-corruption campaign.
Admission
"Let me apologise to the country for the choice of Bingu wa Mutharika and
imposing him on the country," Mr Muluzi told a political rally in the
capital, Lilongwe.
"I didn't know he would be accommodating dissenting views," he said.
Mr Muluzi, who remains extremely influential within the UDF, chose Mr
Mutharika as presidential candidate after parliament rejected his attempt to
amend the constitution to allow him to stand for a third term.
The BBC's Raphael Tenthani says it is the first time Mr Muluzi has admitted
imposing a successor on his party and suggests the gloves have now come off
in their worsening row.
No party has a majority in the 193-member parliament, but the UDF is
believed to be considering impeaching the president.
Story from BBC NEWS:
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