DPP plans convention for July
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says it plans to hold its elective convention in July this year ahead of the September 2025 Tripartite Election.
DPP secretary general Clement Mwale said in an interview on Monday that the party’s national governing council (NGC) will soon meet to map the roadmap for the gathering where all positions will be up for grabs.
He said: “We are looking at around July, but it’s in the mandate of the NGC which in due course will be called for a meeting to discuss on the convention that is coming ahead of us.
“It is from that meeting [of the NGC] that we will have all the details in terms of the dates, campaign period, the budget of the convention, the nomination copies, the fees that one has to pay, the place where the convention is going to take place and all that.”
Mwale said DPP will create a level playing field for every candidate regardless of his or her current status in the party.
He said: “Nobody is going to be restricted and our constitution guarantees everyone freedom of campaigning at any position he or she wants to aspire.
“I want to urge all the members who are willing to contest that they should wait a bit because the party will come up with the calendar which will indicate the dates of the campaign and all other conditions.”
His sentiments come at a time DPP has been embroiled in a succession wrangle since former president Peter Mutharika lost the court-sanctioned fresh presidential election on June 23 2020.
Ever since that moment, several DPP NGC members expressed interest to vie for the presidency and lead the party in the next general election. However, a meeting of the party last year endorsed Mutharika as the party’s torchbearer in the 2025 election, a move that faced resistance from other hopefuls, notably former vice-president responsible for the South Kondwani Nankhumwa who has since been expelled.
Commenting on the planned convention, political scientist Ernest Thindwa cast doubt that the convention will be free, fair and open to all DPP members.
He said the convention will likely be a formality particularly for the position of president as he did not see any DPP member courageous enough to challenge Mutharika.
In a separate interview, Catholic University of Malawi head of political leadership department Chimwemwe Kandodo urged the party to engage neutral individuals or institutions to run the convention to level the playing field.
She noted that a lot of people are looking forward to the results of the convention following divisions that has been in the party.
DPP presidential hopefuls, notably former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Dalitso Kabambe, Machinga Likwenu legislator Bright Msaka and Chiradzulu South lawmaker Joseph Mwanamvekha were not available for comment.
On December 18 2023, the High Court of Malawi Civil Division extended the period within which DPP should hold its elective convention. Initially, the party was expected to hold its convention from December 26 to 27 2023 following an earlier court order that the convention be held within 90 days from September 29 2023.
The court ruling to extend the period of the convention came after the party had held an NGC meeting which appointed a convention organising committee led by Mulanje South West legislator George Chaponda. About 2 000 delegates were expected to attend the convention.
