…Councillor resigns hours after Presidents arrival…
President Lazarus Chakwera’s visit to the Northern Region had a bumpy start as members of Alliance for Democracy quickly left his welcoming party in Mzuzu on Wednesday, in a public snub from another Tonse Alliance partner.
As if not enough MCP ward councillor for Chbavi West Gabriel Mwaungulu announced his resignation on Thursday. Mwaungulu did not give reasons for his resignation.
One of the Aford officials who was at Katoto to welcome Chakwera as he started his tour of the northern region said they had been instructed that the party was not aware of their presence at the road side show.
Aford is a member of Tonse Alliance and has always welcomed Chakwera in the North which is considered is political base.
Aford President Enoch Chihana said he was yet to get a report while Director of Youth Chimwemwe Lupafya said those who turned up at the welcome party were not from his directorate as such he could not give an answer to the developments.
Aford supporters who have re-emerged over the past two years, clad in their blue and white colours were seen alongside MCP Women’s League members who waited for the President.
Around 4.30 pm, the Aford team started removing their party materials and quietly exited the area.
Chihana who has been conducting rallies in the region, told a rally in Rumphi recently that people should ask “the driver if the bus misses way” saying as Aford in Tonse they were like conductors whose job was to fill the bus. He has not come out clearly if he is still a member of Tonse.
“AFORD is a big party. Until I recieve a report it will be difficult to say what happened or what did not happen,” said Chihana, whose father Chakufwa is credited as one of the key political fighters who ended one party rule.
Lupafya on his part said, “The youth were not there in the first place. if they attend anything they ask from national executive for permission. I am sure it was other branches of the party, I can’t comment competently on that one.”
