US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE411

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000411 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, PINR, KPAO, MI, Elections, Political 
SUBJECT: MORE ATTACKS ON MUTHARIKA'S CREDIBILITY 
 
REF: A. 03 LILONGWE 1202 
 
     B. LILONGWE 404 
     C. LILONGWE 392 
 
1. (U) "The Nation" daily newspaper published a front-page 
story on May 17 questioning the authenticity of United 
Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate Bingu wa 
Mutharika's doctoral degree.  In a carefully constructed 
article, the newspaper points out that Mutharika's CV does 
not list the dates when he attended Pacific Western 
University (PWU), an American university where he claims to 
have obtained his Ph.D. in Development Economics.  The 
article also details information on diploma mills in the U.S. 
and indicates that a university with the same name is listed 
"among 550 non-accredited American colleges and universities 
and colleges offering fake academic papers."  The story has 
been repeated in independent radio broadcasts. 
 
COMMENT 
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2. (SBU) The article artfully alleged, but did not say, that 
Mutharika bought his much ballyhooed degree from an American 
diploma mill.  This information, along with the reports of 
ineptitude and corruption while he led COMESA (reftel C), has 
been known by opposition leaders and independent media houses 
for some time.  That the stories would surface during the 
final, critical days of the campaign period appears planned. 
With the UDF campaigning Mutharika as the solution to 
Malawi's economic problems, these recent attacks on his 
credentials have done much to damage Mutharika's credibility, 
at least among the urban audiences with access to newspapers. 
DOUGHERTY