DPP gets court relief, postpones convention
The High Court of Malawi Civil Division has provided relief to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) by extending the period within which the party should hold its elective convention pending “a further order” of the court.
Following the ruling, the party has since postponed to next year its elective convention slated for December 26 and 27 2023 in a quest to abide by the previous court order.
High Court of Malawi Judge Simeon Mdeza’s ruling yesterday followed an application by DPP director of legal services Charles Mhango asking the court to extend the 90 days period given to the opposition party in its ruling on September 29.
Said the judge: “The period of 90 days within which the defendant was directed to hold a properly constituted meeting of the national governing council [NGC] and an elective national political conference is hereby extended until a further order of the court.”
DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba said yesterday the party welcomed the latest court ruling and, therefore, postponed the convention slated for December 26.
“The national governing council will reconvene in the new year to set new dates for the convention,” he said in a press statement.
The High Court ruling came after the party already held an NGC meeting last week setting December 26 and 27 as the days for the elective convention.
On Sunday, convention organising committee chairperson George Chaponda said that about 2 000 delegates were expected to attend the convention.
Before the December 26 and 27 dates were set, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa’s faction also held its own NGC meeting where December 15 and 16 2023 were set as the dates for their faction’s convention.
The faction argued that the move was meant to abide by the September 29 court ruling.
On September 29 2023, the court ordered DPP to hold the convention within the 90-day period following an application by Nankhumwa who wants to lead the party in the 2025 Tripartite Elections, the then secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey and two others.
When The Nation contacted him yesterday, Nankhumwa, who was DPP vice-president responsible for the South until last week when he was appointed Mutharika’s adviser, refused to comment on the latest development.
The former governing party has been rocked by wrangles leading to two factions with one being headed by Nankhumwa which has dragged the party to court several times.
After the December 15 and 16 convention dates were overtaken by another NGC meeting’s decision convened by Mutharika on December 13, Nankhumwa accepted to compete against Mutharika.
