Ex-minister dumps Malawi’s ruling PP

Former minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture Daniel Liwimbi has dumped Malawi’s ruling People’s Party (PP) and declared himself independent.

Liwimbi, who is a Member of Parliament for Nkhotakota North East, leaves the ruling party just after he was left out of the December 6 2012 Cabinet reshuffle alongside former Energy and Mining minister Cassim Chilumpha.

However, the legislator could not say whether his leaving of the party was due to his firing from Cabinet and whether he would join an opposition political party.

“I am still working on whether I should join a political party because if I am to make a move, it has to be conclusive. But, I declared myself independent,” he said.

Liwimbi said he will be an independent MP just as he was before appointment into President Joyce Banda’s Cabinet in May this year.

“When I was retained as minister in May, I had already declared myself independent and I am just going back to that status,” he said.

Liwimbi came into Parliament in the 2009 May elections and was in late President Bingu wa Mutharika’s Cabinet as deputy Minister of Development Planning and Cooperation, a position he held up until September 8 2011 when he was elevated to head the Tourism, Wildlife and Culture.

This is the first time that Liwimbi has come out of the cocoon since his firing.

In an interview on Thursday, PP publicity secretary Hophmally Makande described Liwimbi’s departure as interesting.

“But since people have the right to associate; we wish him well,” said Makande.