New episode in DPP war drama

Former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has moved to discipline some members who attended and led the December 6 2023 national governing council (NGC) meeting in Lilongwe.

Although over 17 members attended the meeting, the party has only summoned four to a hearing on January 4 at Edge Water Court in Lilongwe.

Those summoned are Cecilia Chazama who chaired the meeting, former secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey, former vice-president (South) Kondwani Nankhumwa and Zomba Chisi legislator Mark Botomani.

In letters the party has written to the four, DPP accuses them of undermining authority of party leader Peter Mutharika and disrespecting party leadership contrary to Article 6 (v, vii and ix) of the DPP constitution.

The letter to Chazama, we have seen, reads in part: “On 6th December, 2023, at Golden Peacock in Lilongwe, you attended and chaired a purported meeting of the NGC held and called or convened by the then secretary general Honourable Grezelder Jeffrey without the authority or knowledge of the central committee and without consultation with or the authority of the President and after the party, through the press conference held at Golden Peacock Hotel on 5th December 2023, warned all members of the NGC not to attend the said purported NGC meeting.”

Chazama said briefly on Tuesday that she will attend the hearing.

Jeffrey, on the other hand, is accused of calling for and convening a purported meeting of the December 6 NGC gathering without the authority or knowledge of the central committee and without consultation with or the authority of Mutharika.

Botomani and Nankhumwa also confirmed being summoned for attending the December 6 meeting, but wondered “why we are the only ones targeted yet many people attended the meeting.”

The letters, signed by secretary of the disciplinary committee Lonnie Phiri, said the complaint came from deputy secretary general Aaron Sangala and warned against any decision to abscond the same.

One dated December 28 2023 reads: “Take notice that if you fail to attend the disciplinary hearing without any justifiable reasons, the committee has the power to make recommendations to the central committee for necessary sanctions under Article 15(4) of the DPP constitution.”

Article 6 (v) of the DPP constitution states that each member of the DPP shall obey and carry out all lawful instructions given by a senior member of the party to whom he reports in the performance of his functions in the party or to whom he is otherwise answerable by reason of rank.”

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Malawi Justice of Appeal Dorothy Nyakaunda Kamanga is today expected to hear a fresh application from Nankhumwa, Chazama and Jeffrey, who are challenging Mutharika’ s decision to shift them from their positions.

In the reshuffle, Mutharika stripped Nankhumwa, who is also Mulanje Central legislator, of the role of vice-president (South) and made him his adviser alongside former director of women Cecilia Chazama. Jeffery was made vice-president (Centre).

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.