DPP cadres claim death threats for not joining PP
Three Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members in Lilongwe have reported to Malawi police that they are getting death threats allegedly for refusing to join the ruling People’s Party (PP).
The members include DPP Lilongwe City West campaign director Maria Grant, secretary for women Ellen Chitseko and constituency secretary Dariken Master.
In an interview on Monday, Lilongwe police deputy public relations officer Kingsley Dandaula confirmed receipt of the death threats complaints from the DPP members, saying they are investigating the matter.
Grant told The Nation on Sunday that the trio has been getting the threats from several people [names withheld] who she claimed have been hired to break up DPP grassroots structures.
“We started getting the threats after a DPP rally on June 15 this year at Mtandire. They have been asking us to leave DPP and telling us that we will disappear if we continue to work for DPP,” said Grant.
Master and Chitseko corroborated Grant’s claims in separate interviews.
In an interview on Friday, PP deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda described the complaints of the DPP members as “lies”, saying all those joining PP are doing so freely without being forced or threatened.
Mr Msonda, be serious. Your reactions in most cases leave many people doubting your integrity. Do you think the three are mad? Mind you that Malawians are keenly watching what PP is doing. There is no smoke without fire. PP is now becoming more and more desperate grouping. Just reform other than trying to sing the same old song that people are joining PP on their own and yet deep down you know the reality. If I were leader of PP I would have listened and taken heed of all advices people give. Unfortunately, the leadership has closed ears and gone too far to correct the blunders so far made.
Do they have proof of this? Without proof, anyone can just walk to a police station and claim they are being harassed just so they can tarnish another party. Let me hope Malawians haven’t forgotten the dirty tricks DPP used to play. How do we know this isn’t another trick?
PP and Msonda must be careful. Politics is a dirty game and PP and its Msonda will face consequence if these people dissappear physically.