Malawi's president flees haunted mansion

[quaoar]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/11122317.htm

RAPHAEL TENTHANI

Associated Press

LILONGWE, Malawi - Malawi's president has temporarily moved out of his 300-bedroom state mansion, claiming it is haunted by ghosts, a senior aide said Saturday.

The Rev. Malani Mtonga, presidential aide on Christian affairs, said that President Bingu wa Mutharika had asked the clergy to pray to "exorcise evil spirits."

Mtonga refused to give further details about the ghosts. But another aide, who asked for anonymity, said that the president hears footsteps and strange noises at night. Nobody else, including the president's wife, hears anything, the aide said.

He said it had been decided that the 71-year-old president would sleep at another house in Mtunthama, some 60 miles from the capital, and just work at the presidential mansion.

[MinneapolisMatt]

1. I have a feeling

that if I had a 300-bedroom mansion, it would take a lot more than ghosts to make me flee.

:)

[diamond14]

2. our White House has a LOT of ghosts in it too....maybe, just maybe,

those ghosts could start haunting bush*, and he would FLEE....


or at least, the screaming of 100,000 dead Iraqis would haunt bush* every single night for the rest of his life....



OUR White House has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/facts.html

[sasquatch]

3. Why can't the White House have ghost like this

I can see Shrub running screaming out of the house with urine stains on his pants wanting to know where "Unka Dick" is. Or awakened at night with JFK, FDR and Abraham Lincoln challenging him to a fight.

[dflprincess]

4. There's a joke about Bush and ghosts in the White House

but I can't remember it all. It goes something like this.

Bush meets the ghost of George Washington and asks him, "Mr. President, what can I do for America?" Washington tells him, "Always be honest."

The next night he runs into Jefferson's ghost and asks him "Mr. President, what can I do for America?" Jefferson also gives him wise advice.

On the third night he runs into Lincoln's ghost and asks him "Mr. President, what can I do for America?" Lincoln replies, "Go to the theater."

[merwin]

8. LOL. I like that one.

[bilgewaterbill]

5. How many bedrooms does the other house have? nt

[mahina]

6. I looked at a house last week and felt the same...

It is a small pretty old house in the back of my valley on a large lot. In the back there is an immaculately tended Japanese garden with tons of little hidy corners and beautiful little magic spots. The 87 year old lady who lies there spends all day every day in the garden. What the realtor didn't mention is that she spends all day there with her husband, who died years ago. But walking around that garden you could feel him.
I know someone will buy it and build right over that beautiful garden but I sure hope not.

[cliss]

7. Well, he could always call

the GhostBusters.

Who Ya gonna call?

[paineinthearse]

9. Another demented head of state nt

[emad]

10. 'Ghosts' scare off Malawi leader

BBC


Ghosts - some taking the form of rodents - have forced the president of Malawi to move out of his state mansion, officials have said.

Bingu wa Mutharika has been sleeping away from the 300-room building in the capital, Lilongwe, and only comes there to work during the day, an aide said.

Christian clergy have been asked to help exorcise the "evil spirits" there.

Controversy has raged over the costly palace which housed parliament until Mr Mutharika's election last year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4344043.stm