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More woes for PP: NEC member, MP quit after primaries

Kaisa: Some are more equal
Kaisa: Some are more equal

President Joyce Banda’s People’s Party (PP) continues to lose senior members with the latest being director of international relations Omar Paison Kaisi who tendered his resignation on Monday.

To further rub salt into PP’s wound, incumbent Mzimba Solola member of Parliament (MP) Ackim Mwanza on Tuesday also ditched PP in protest over the party’s decision to endorse a candidate who finished third in the primary elections in the constituency.

In an interview on Monday, Kaisi said he has quit the party because it was not following one of its principles of equity by nullifying primary elections results in Mangochi East Constituency where he contested. He alleged that the party was favouring another candidate who lost to him.

The former national executive committee (NEC) member compared PP to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, saying in the political grouping, some people were more equal than others.

Reads Kaisi’s resignation letter in part: “The circumstances under which this resignation is presented are quite clear to the party suffice to say that People’s Party has violated one of its cardinal pillars of its existence, that is equity in which I believed too.

He says he tried to reason with the party’s leadership that the decision to deny him victory and opting to field Ibrahim Daudi Nyenje “on the account that he is a loyal” member would have a negative impact on the popularity of PP.

He claims to have won the primaries on January 4 2014 by scooping 2 274 votes while his runner-up Nyenje got 1 830. Other contestants were Emmanuel Abraham Mailosi who had 1 514 while Omar Karim Adini got 277.

PP deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda confirmed that Kaisi had resigned from his position, saying people were responding to the political season of re-aligning themselves.

“The People’s Party acknowledges the resignation of Mr Omar Paison Kaisi who was the director of international affairs. We respect his democratic choice. There is intensive political engineering and re-engineering out there, because parties and individuals want to position themselves in a way that maximises their chances of winning,” said Msonda.

Msonda said any primary elections rerun was as a result of careful evaluation and assessment of the complaints presented to the party’s leadership and that the results were an outcome of a democratic process that respects people’s choices

The conduct of PP primary elections has created a crisis with a number of senior members opting to stand as independents in the May 20 parliamentary race.

However, Msonda warned party members who lost in primaries but collected nomination forms to contest in parliamentary elections on May 20 that their membership would be withdrawn from the party immediately.

Msonda, a loser of primaries himself in Rumphi East Constituency, dismissed Kaisi’s allegations that the party nullified the results of the primaries to conduct a rerun to ensure that Nyenje emerges victorious.

Former PP vice-president (Centre), Cassim Chilumpha was the first high-profile personality to resign from the party accusing the President of favouring Justice Minister Fahad Assani who he was to compete against for the candidacy of Nkhotakota South parliamentary seat.

Former deputy minister of Transport and Public Infrastructure and Nsanje Lalanje MP Sam Ganda and First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jones Chingola, who is Ntcheu Central MP, also declared their intention to contest as independents.

In Rumphi North Constituency, several party members dumped PP last week, saying they are angry at the way one parliamentary candidate, Jappie Mhango, was treated during the primary elections. They have so far asked him to stand as independent.

Apart from the primary elections crisis, PP was also shocked last week by the resignation of another vice-president (South) Sidik Mia.

In Mzimba Solola Constituency, primary elections were held on December 30 2013, but it has taken over a month for the party to officially declare the winner, prompting Mwanza to call it quits.

PP secretary general Paul Maulidi expressed shock on Tuesday at Mwanza’s decision to dump the party when it has not announced the results of the elections.

He bemoaned the spirit of ditching the party when the elections are approaching.

Speaking in an interview with The Nation on Monday, Mwanza said some party officials have been announcing in the media that PP NEC has endorsed Suzgo Nyirenda who came third in the elections.

Mwanza said he has since obtained nomination papers to stand as an independent candidate following advice from the party’s district committee, constituency committee, PP supporters and chiefs of the area to leave the party and stand as an independent.

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4 Comments

  1. Ken Msonda, alwaysmdefending his party and its leadership.
    You seem to be doing a good job; demage control, but the party and its leadership does not seem to see and acknowledge the good work you are going.
    The whole deputy publicity secretary of the ruling party kumayenda pansi, osangozisiya bwanji?

  2. It is no,hidden secret that Peoples Party is sailing in troubled waters, after its primary election.
    Pipo leaving the party are senior founding members and the task to control the demage is left in the hands of one person; Ken Musonda.

    The coming in of Wakuda Kamanga has spoiled PPs PR. He is more demaging than repairing the integrity and image of the party.
    Wakudas task should have been given to Musonda.

    Musonda himself is disgruntled after the party failed to resolve his primaries dispute in Rumphi East Constituency, where he was robbed of victory to Kamlepo Kalua. Musonda just put up a brave face to withdraw his dispute to please Joyce Banda, who in his own words, regards as a mother and a political mentor.
    The party should not take Musonda’s guesture by withdrawing his disputed results and his continued defence of his party lightly. It is alleged he is also intending to resign and stand as an independent candidate in Rumphi East because the party did not respond positively on his positve stand taken.

    Wake up PP, put your house in order before more demage is done!

  3. People were driven by greed when joining this 3 year old party. It is a party of thugs that were dumped from other parties and onw it is caught up in cash-gate scandal. Joyce Banda is a thief and I never thought a woman would be a thief. I have never heard a woman being in mob justice and woman would have been a dangerous criminal if she were a man.

  4. The two honorable gentlemen should go back to their mother party- DPP and they are welcome.

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