….you can go back to PP, tells Msonda
….convention before December 30
Ken Msonda, the vocal critic of Former President and opposition DPP leader Peter Mutharika on Wednesday showed a brave face, attending a National Governing Council meeting called by the latter who told him, he was “free to go back where you came from.”
News coming in:
DPP elective convention December 26-27
The DPP NGC meeting held in Mangochi has announced that the party’s elective conference will be held in Mangochi from the 26th to 27th December.
The meeting has also elected anew disciplinary Committee comprised of Jean Kalilani, Apostle Timothy Khoviwa , Francis Mphepo, Paul Gadama and Lonnie Chijere.
Msonda sat with a cynic smile but did not leave the meeting, as Mutharika’s opening address, monitored on Zodiak TV showed he was clearly irked by Msonda’s presence. In an earlier interview he endorsed Mutharikas leadership.
“Some of things some of you, especially you Mr Msonda, you have been very insulting to me and you are not even a member of this party you came from PP. You came to destroy this party. I would like to invite you, if you dont like this party to go back to PP where you belong,” said a visibly annoyed Mutharika.
He also took an aim at the faction led by his deputy for Southern Region Kondwani Nankhumwa, saying he was being used by the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to destroy the party.
Msonda later told the NGC meeting that there was no case disputing Mutharikas leadership in court as they have withdrawn the case after realising that the DPP constitution is silent about terms of office. He was filmed flagging the said withdraw latters.
“Someone cannot claim to love the party when he has sued the party 14 times in the last three years. We have spent millions on lawyers to defend the party. They are being used,” said Mutharika in his first direct comment over the civil war that has split the party between Pro-Mutharika and Pro-Nankhumwa factions.
Mutharikas NGC comes after Nankhumwa held a similar meeting with around 20 members and the Mangochi meeting attracted around 50 members with others like Legal Adviser Charles Mhango said to be attending a court session.
The former Malawi leader who looked comfortable addressing his loyalists, said the constitutional reforms by the party were aimed at addressing operational the challenges the party had met.
“No one is bigger than the party. We are not targeting the Vice President for the South (Nankhumwa). We are removing regional vice presidents because we had operational challenges in the regions with regional governors. Nobody was sure who was in charge,” said Mutharika.
On reassignment of Secretary General Greselder Jeffrey, the DPP President said all party secretary generals had been appointed and there is nothing peculiar about her situation, giving a long list of previous post holders.
The former Malawi President said the party was reorganising itself to reclaim power from MCP which he said has failed to govern the country.
He said the party will hold a convention ybefore December 30 as directed by the High Court saying the party will follow the law.
The announcement for the convention would eventually mean the party could be geared to have two conventions if the Nankhumwa faction vacates an injunction to have Jeffrey restored as General Secretary as she constituted a meeting that agreed to have convention on 15 and 16 December.
Nankhumwa on Tuesday declared himself a candidate for his factions convention and stayed away from Mangochi meeting.
Four court cases are currently active with one Msonda and others sued Mutharika to stop being party President, another Jeffrey is asking the court to stop her reassignment, another is by Chipiliro Mpinganjira stopping Jeffrey and Nankhumwas NGC meeting and the last one is an application to stop the Mangochi NGC meeting.
Analysts have observed that the legal and political fights in the DPP will diminish the party’s fortunes to reclaim power in 2024.
