Aford factions differ on caretakers

The two warring Aford factions have failed to come up with caretakers for the party in three weeks after the High Court in Mzuzu gave them one week.

The caretakers were supposed to take the party to another convention following wrangles that ensued after the last convention on September 6 where Minister of Youth and Sports Enoch Chihana was voted president.

The two factions have failed to agree on the caretakers as the one under Chihana rejected a proposal from Godfrey Shawa’s camp that newly elected secretary general (SG) Christopher Ritchie be the president and the former SG Khwauli Msiska be SG.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, Shawa’s camp spokesperson, Dan Msowoya said the two sides have appointed Ritchie as president and Msiska as SG.

However, Chihana’s camp has rejected the appointments, saying there is already a national executive council which was voted by the party.

Ritchie said Chihana is the legitimate president and he was the legitimate SG and there was no way they could lose the positions to caretakers.

“When I heard that I was president, I rejected it because Chihana is our president chosen by delegates from all over the country and not the rumours that he was elected by people from Rumphi.

“We have since proposed for a committee to reconcile the two sides and will be chaired by him. Msiska will be the secretary if he agrees to the proposal. Lawyers will have to be involved and the two sides will later sign to validate the committee,” said Ritchie.

He said if the other side rejects to sign, the wrangles will be resolved in court.

Msiska could neither confirm nor reject the appointments as caretakers, arguing it was too early to be in the media.