STORM BREWING OR DUST SETTLING IN DPP?

By Joseph Kayira | 2 February 2024

A few days ago, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) expelled some of its senior members, who included its former vice president for the South Kondwani Nankhumwa, former publicity secretary Nicholas Dausi and former secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey. This protracted battle started well before the general elections in 2019. It worsened when it was announced that DPP president Peter Mutharika would step down to pave way for a new leader.

Nankhumwa was one of the people who declared his interest to contest for the DPP presidency. Five others have been associated with the presidency too. They are Bright Msaka, DPP vice president for eastern region and legislator for Machinga Likwenu; Dalitso Kabambe, former governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi; Paul Gadama, a businessman; Joseph Mwanamvekha, member of Parliament for Chiradzulu South; and Living Word Evangelical Church Prophet David Mbewe. Mwanamvekha and Mbewe have chickened out of the race, thus far.

However, it is Nankhumwa who has been a thorn in the side of Mutharika and DPP. He has refused to be intimidated. He freely speaks his mind and has challenged certain decisions by the Central Executive Committee. He has been to the court several times because he did not agree with Mutharika on a number of issues. 

He has been kicked out of the DPP before only to be saved by the courts. In January, the Central Executive Committee expelled Nankhumwa and others from DPP. So, a handful of senior members were shown the exit door; others have been suspended. It is not clear if Nankhumwa and company will cling to DPP as was the case in the past.

Mutharika: Still in control 

(Photo Credit: Internet)

He told a gathering in Blantyre’s Ndirande Township that come 2025 his name will appear on the ballot paper. He has also promised to ‘speak out’ at an appropriate time. Nankhumwa has squarely put the blame on his detractors for his expulsion. And his detractors say it was unbecoming for a senior person of his calibre to keep dragging the party to court at the slightest provocation. 

They say any organisation survives on discipline and high regard for party statutes and those in authority. When leaders who are supposed to instill discipline in the rank and file of the party are in the forefront fanning the fire to spread and sowing seeds of confusion, they must be removed. That is what Nankhumwa’s opponents have been propagating.

There is time to let go. Nankhumwa must move on. Until now, it is not clear whether or not he will form his own political party. At least he has openly said that he is not joining Malawi Congress Party nor is he interested to go to UTM Party. We all are waiting for his next move. Surely, some people in the DPP, especially those who are not happy with Mutharika’s continued firm grip on the presidency, will follow Nankhumwa. 

Some MPs too are contemplating following him. In short, as it stands, DPP is a house divided. Things are falling apart. Can the party rebuild itself? Is there ample time for DPP to morph into something more attractive to regain its lost glory? With Nankhumwa amassing his soldiers in DPP’s stronghold what will be the outcome?

We must also remember that Mulanje Central is a very interesting constituency. This is where veteran politician Brown James Mpinganjira comes from. When Hon Mpinganjira crossed paths with former president Bakili Muluzi, he left ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) to form National Democratic Alliance (NDA). In those years there were strong rumours in and outside UDF that Hon Mpinganjira would be taking over the leadership from president Muluzi. 

Nankhumwa: Taking the bull by the horns 

(Photo Credit: Internet)

Obviously, some canning politicians who did not like Hon Mpinganjira cooked up some lies which they fed the president. The one tool that UDF politicians ‘finished’ each other with at the time was Muluzi’s third term bid. Once word went around and reached the president and his henchmen that you were against his third term bid, you were doomed. Hon Mpinganjira was a victim of such a smear campaign. Will Nankhumwa go down that path? Will another party come out of Mulanje Central after the demise of NDA? In DPP Nankhumwa was a force to reckon with, hence his election to positions such as vice president for the south and Leader of Opposition in Parliament. Outside the DPP what will the ‘new’ Nankhumwa offer? Has he got what it takes to give Mutharika a good run for his money?

The one thing we can truly prophesy is that this time around, the southern region will be a battleground for politicians. The MCP has already started to make inroads into the region. The DPP must expect to fight political enemies from different fronts. However, the DPP’s worst enemy is within itself – within its rank and file. 

Those who are close to DPP president and those that surround him, must begin to be honest with him before things get worse. Unless the leadership embraces democracy, the DPP is about to lose a good chunk of its membership to other political parties. It is up to Mutharika and his lackeys to reverse the tsunami that is about to hit DPP. The party must learn from its mistakes. Burying its head in the sand is a complete waste of time. All is not well in DPP. 

FEEDBACK: jkayira@gmail.com