Malawi charged three ruling party officials with treason today for carrying guns to a meeting with President Bingu wa Mutharika, and authorities suspect a plot to kill him, the attorney general said.
Attorney General Ralph Kasambara said authorities in the southern African country had information that some politicians had plotted to kill the president in early January.
A deep rift has opened up within the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) between supporters of wa Mutharika and the man whom he replaced as president last May, Bakili Muluzi, who is chairman of the party.
The three officials, deputy transport minister Roy Coomsy, former natural resources minister Harry Thompson and member of parliament Alfred Mwechumu, were initially released on bail after they were found carrying guns to a meeting to be attended by wa Mutharika in the commercial capital Blantyre on Monday.
"The police have investigated the matter and have seen that there is an issue of treason here," Attorney General Ralph Kasambara told Reuters on Wednesday, adding that they had been charged with treason and remanded in custody.
Kasambara said the authorities had uncovered a plot to kill wa Mutharika on or after Jananuary 2.
Police spokesman Willy Mwaluka said more arrests could follow.