39 DPP legislators to meet Mutharika

A bout 39 legislators of the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are expected to meet party president Peter Mutharika in Mangochi tomorrow reportedly to back his 2025 presidntial ticket.

In an interview yesterday, Blantyre City Central legislator Chipiliro Mpinganjira said the members of Parliament (MPs) will endorse Mutharika to lead the party in the 2025 Tripartite Elections.

He said: “Mutharika has the track record to lead the country. When he was elected as President in 2014, the country was going through economic problems due to Cashgate as some donors had withdrawn their aid and funding. But under his leadership, he steadied the economy.

“So, with the current situation, we need him to fix the economy. Due to so many aspirants, DPP is divided. But with him the candidate, there will be unity in the party.”

Mpinganjira further said they are meeting Mutharika to stress the importance of his comeback.

DPP has 69 MPs.

Thyolo Thava MP Mary Navicha, one of the legislators to attend the meeting, said she fully supported the endorsement.

“I will attend the meeting as APM is what people want and I can’t go against their wishes. I am even surprised that some people claim that they were not allowed to speak during the national governing council [NGC] meeting, some of us freely spoke there,” she said.

Zomba Malosa legislator Grace Kwelepeta also said she will be at the meeting to endorse Mutharika as DPP’s 2025 torchbearer.

But Zomba Chisi MP Mark Botomani faulted the meeting, saying it will further divide DPP members who are already disagreeing on the top leadership position.

He said during the  party’s NGC meeting held in Mangochi last week there were calls for unity.

Botomani said: “So why is APM going to meet only a few people that support his endorsement? I thought with the sitting of Parliament ahead, it would have been important for our party president to invite all MPs and look at the incoming Parliament business and strategise on how to move forward?

“Essentially, this is leading to factionalism, which will continue to weaken us. From the blues, we hear they want to discuss the leadership of opposition in Parliament, which could be very pathetic because these matters have been in court.”

In an interview yesterday, political analyst Ernest Thindwa said continued skirmishes in DPP are a reflection of contestation for the party leadership position in the context of limited democratic space.

His counterpart, Wonderful Mkutche said Mutharika was leading the DPP as an interested party, which has created camps, urging him to start looking at DPP in a post-Mutharika approach.

“He needs to lead the party into consolidated constitutional changes that are targeting the strength of the party, and not certain individuals,” he said.

Despite the endorsement, Mutharika said he was still considering the matter.

The DPP constitution under Article 10 (4) says unless otherwise disqualified, a member of the NGC shall be eligible for re-election for two more terms, of five years each, meaning, one can occupy a position for at least 15 years.

Peter Mutharika took over the leadership of DPP after the death of his brother, Bingu wa Mutharika in April 2012, and propelled the party to victory in the 2014 Tripartite Elections.

However, he lost the court-sanctioned fresh presidential election in June 2020 to President Lazarus Chakawera who led a nine-political-party Tonse Alliance.