DPP winners, losers pledge collaboration
Winners and losers in the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) elective convention have pledged to collaborate to strengthen the party ahead of the 2025 General Elections.
They made the pledge in separate interviews yesterday after the announcement of results at Comesa Hall in Blantyre.
DPP outgoing secretary general Clement Mwale, his successor Peter Mukhito and vice-president for the South Joseph Mwanamvekha as well as newly elected national organising secretary Sameer Suleman said they will work as a team to rebuild the party.
Former police chief Mukhito amassed 1562 votes against Mwale’s 714 to excel.
Mukhito said he will use his skills to rebuild DPP by bringing both winners and losers together to build a strong party to win next year’s elections.
He said: “This was just a family fight where you argue, but at the end of the day you sit down and move forward. In fact, we will rely on those who have failed to keep on guiding us where necessary.”
Mwale also showed his commitment to work with his successor, saying the convention results mean DPP members have spoken on who will serve the party and that signifies that there is intraparty democracy.
Mwanamvekha, who beat convention chairperson George Chaponda by 1 562 against 714 votes, said his primary objective is to reunite party members in the Southern Region.
He said most of the infighting in the party in the past four years originated from the South.
Speaking to the media at Comesa Hall in Blantyre, Chaponda, who is also Leader of Opposition in Parliament, accepted defeat and said it means there will be sharing of responsibilities.
During the convention, Alfred Gangata was voted vice-president (Centre) after beating Paul Gadama with 1 451 to 827 votes while Bright Msaka retained his position as vice-president Eastern Region with 1 549 votes against Zomba Chingale legislator Lonnie Phiri’s 702 votes. Rumphi North legislator Jappie Mhango went in unopposed as DPP vice-president (North).
Director of legal affairs went to Blantyre City Central legislator Chipiliro Mpinganjira who beat former Attorney General Charles Mhango and Mulanje West lawmaker Yusuf Nthenda.
Thyolo Thava MP Mary Navicha retained the post of national director of women after beating former Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) deputy commissioner Roza Mbilizi while director of elections went to Nsanje Lalanje MP Gladys Ganda who beat former Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioner Jean Mathanga.
Out of about 36 positions that were vacant, only 10 have been filled by females.
