DPP to replace fired members

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Shadric Namalomba says the party is now planning to fill the posts of Leader of Opposition and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament chairperson following the party’s move to expel office-holders.

The position comes after DPP Central Committee on Saturday expelled from the party’s ranks former vice-president responsible for the South Kondwani Nankhumwa, who is also Leader of Opposition in Parliament. The party also dismissed Zomba Chisi legislator Mark Botomani who currently chairs PAC in Parliament.

However, the party’s position has attracted a backlash from commentators who accuse the establishment of dictatorial traits.

Other expelled members are former secretary general Grelzeder Jeffrey, former director of women Cecelia Chazama, publicity secretary Nicholas Dausi, Joe Thomas Nyirongo, and Ken Msonda.

Namalomba said the Nankhumwa and Botomani cannot continue in their roles after their expulsion from the party.

He said: “These are consequential matters. No one can become Leader of Opposition [LoP] currently without endorsement from the DPP and Nankhumwa is not a DPP member.

“That means he ceases to be the LoP. So too is Botomani at PAC. A non-member of the DPP cannot be enjoying the benefits of members.”

Namalomba said the party had not yet decided who will take over from Nankhumwa as they “were dealing with party indiscipline first”.

The 11 were accused of undermining Mutharika’s authority and disrespecting party leadership contrary to Article 6 of the DPP constitution for calling, leading and attending the December 6 2023 nullified national governing council (NGC) meeting in Lilongwe.

But Botomani on Sunday scoffed at Namalomba’s remarks, saying he will remain calm until he knows the reasons for his expulsion.

“I will not comment until I am served with letters of the expulsion to appreciate the reasons,” he said.

On the other hand, Nankhumwa, Jeffrey and Dausi could all not be reached for comment.

The party has also suspended 11 other officials for nine months from their NGC positions. They are national director of elections Henry Matemba, his deputy Joseph Mabvuto Kachali and deputy national director of elections (North) Kondwani Ng’ong’ola and deputy national organising secretary (Centre), Shafee Khamisa.

Others are Brave Mkwezalamba, Marriam Chimbalanga, Dumisani Lindani, Baxter Kita, and Lameck Rajab Malimba.

The party’s former vice-president (Centre) Uladi Mussa has been suspended for nine months while Mangochi Monkey Bay legislator Ralph Jooma has been removed from the position of national director of economic affairs in the NGC.

In an interview, Mussa said party president Peter Mutharika’s camp wants to hold a convention without competition.

He said the expulsion of the 11 members was unfortunate and trims DPP’s chances of bouncing back to power in 2025.

“DPP should not even hold a convention! Mutharika should simply handpick the people he wants because there will be no competition.

“They are destroying the party because all those expelled and suspended have about a million votes behind them.”

Mussa said DPP should simply iron out differences in the party instead of expelling members with a different opinion to that of the party leadership.

He said: “You don’t send people away at a time you are going for a battle! Look at the Central Region, all strong people have been taken out, so who do you send to the battlefront?”

Political and governance commentators have since condemned the DPP for expelling 11 senior NGC members and suspending 11 others for nine months, saying the action is dictatorial and aimed at maintaining only those loyal to Mutharika.

In an interview on Sunday, governance expert George Chaima termed the DPP’s decision an “Iscariotic political suicide”.

“It is currently difficult to identify the calibre of the people equal to the heavyweights it has ejected. We should expect a massive exodus of its members soon. A party without intraparty tolerance cannot survive in democracy,” he said.

On his part, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche said although the Mutharika faction may have the main structures of the party, it is not inspiring.

“They cannot manage to garner enough support to win the next election,” he said.

Political analyst Ernest Thindwa said the expulsion suggests intra-party democracy will remain elusive in DPP.

“Our parties are constrained to evolve from being personal instruments of the few influential to the collective voice of the masses, linking citizens to the government through representation fashioned by free, fair and competitive internal electoral processes,” he said.

Cracks in DPP came to light after Jeffrey in August 2020 told The Nation that Mutharika had done his part and that the party needed a new person to lead it into the future, calling for an early convention.

In June last year, the High Court of Malawi dismissed judicial preview proceedings commenced by Namalomba to stop Nankhumwa from executing Leader of Opposition in Parliament duties following changes Nankhumwa made in Parliament, including appointment of a shadow Cabinet without prior consultation with 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 Leader of Opposition 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 Leader of Opposition 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 served in the role since 2003. But Tembo went to court and got the post back.