DPP takes fight to Parliament

Former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has taken its infighting to the National Assembly by launching a fresh bid to remove Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) Kondwani Nankhumwa from the post purportedly due to unsatisfactory performance.

DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, who also speaks for party president Peter Mutharika, said in an interview yesterday a motion to have Nankhumwa removed was tabled by Blantyre City Central member of Parliament (MP) Chipiliro Mpinganjira during the party’s closed-door caucus called by Mutharika at his residence in Mangochi.

He said the motion was seconded by Thyolo Thava legislator Mary Navicha.

Namalomba said the motion was necessary following pressure within the party to change the LoP. He said the motion was further pushed following a consensus that the main opposition party has been sluggish in Parliament.

He said: “A majority of 27 legislators voted for the motion while 14 went against it. The concern from some individuals was that it was bad timing to remove the LoP now.

“The issue then went into debate with the main question being when should we remove the LoP. However, those in the minority argued that we will soon be going to the convention and that it was not the right time to drive attention to other issues.”

Namalomba said the MPs were also cautious that Nankhumwa would take legal action if removed by the caucus.

Asked why he revived the LoP removal bid again, Mpinganjira refused to comment and tossed the matter back to Namalomba.

But responding to queries that the motion comes amid worsening wrangles in the DPP, Namalomba argued that the legislators’ opinion was that the opposition is not effective in Parliament and “has been performing like it does not have a leader”.

“There’s nothing about witch-hunting here. We are just trying to strategise for the 2025 elections. It is our duty to protect the people from bad laws. We have not been that effective in Parliament,” he said.

In an interview yesterday, Nankhumwa played down the move by the party’s MPs’ caucus, saying: “Where in the world can a vote be put on hold? He [Namalomba] is being economical with the truth.”

This is not the first time the DPP has attempted to oust Nankhumwa from the position. In March last year, the party also obtained a court order stopping Nankhumwa from executing his duties as LoP, but Nankhumwa triumphed in court over Namalomba.

But in separate interviews, political analysts George Chaima and Victor Chipofya described the DPP move as desperate, undemocratic and selfish.

Chaima said it was unfortunate that the incident was coming days after the DPP president preached a message of unity in the party.

He said: “If anything, there is too much weakness in the opposition and the LoP himself because he is not getting support from the entire party.

“He cannot have strength if his own party is fighting him. We have the weakest government because we have the weakest opposition.”

On his part, Chipofya said the DPP constitution does not support such removal of LoP.

“Do you just hold another caucus and vote? The party must also justify Nankhumwa’s shortcomings as LoP. What would others do differently that Nankhumwa is not doing?” he said.

In June last year, the High Court of Malawi dismissed judicial preview proceedings commenced by Namalomba to stop Nankhumwa from executing LoP duties following changes Nankhumwa made in Parliament, including appointment of a shadow Cabinet without prior consultation of the party and changing the seating arrangement.

Presiding judge Mzonde Mvula indicated that Namalomba’s complaints against Nankhumwa related to intraparty politics.

Standing Order 35 (1) of the National Assembly states that the LoP shall be elected by the party not in government having the greatest numerical strength in Parliament at any point in time and officially announced as such by the Speaker.

In 2009, the whole Parliament took part in the voting to elect LoP after amending the Standing Orders following recommendations from the House’s Legal Affairs Committee.

This culminated in the election of youthful Abel Kayembe, replacing veteran Malawi Congress Party leader John Tembo (now deceased), who had been LoP since 2003. But Tembo went to court and got the post back.