Mzuzu City legislator quits DPP

Mzuzu City legislator Leonard Njikho has ditched the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) citing personal reasons. He has since reverted to independence status which took him to the National Assembly in 2014.

Njikho’s resignation has coincided with the United Transformation Movement (UTM) rally in Mzuzu to be addressed by Vice-President Saulos Chilima this Saturday and sources hinted that the legislator could be welcomed into the newly formed political grouping.

The legislator could neither confirm nor deny joining UTM, only saying he was at liberty to mingle with any other party now that he is an independent member of Parliament (MP).

In an interview yesterday, he said: “I have resigned for personal reasons and have already informed the DPP regional governor for the North Kenneth Sanga on this. I am now independent and can mingle with any party or group.”

Sanga, sounding rather low, confirmed that Njikho informed him of his decision, but insisted that the party would move forward.

“He has cited personal reasons,so we have accepted. Everybody is at liberty to do what he wants and he has chosen to do just that. As a party, nothing will stop, we will move on,” he said.

Ironically, Njikho is on the list of DPP leaders set to address 22 meetings in Mzimba this Sunday.

According to the programme of events The Nation has seen, Njikho was supposed to lead a team of four DPP officials to a rally at Zubayumo in Mzimba Solora Constituency.

Sanga said the party will identify another person to fill that gap.

If Njikho joins UTM, he will become a third parliamentarian from the North to join the movement after Speaker Richard Msowoya of Karonga Nyungwe and Olipa Chiluba Muyaba of Mzimba North East.