Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Wednesday announced it will hold its elective convention in June but some members of the party have dismissed the announcement, saying no member of the National Governing Council (NGC) has the mandate to call for the indaba.
Mulanje South legislator, Bon Kalindo, said Wednesday the mandate of the NGC expired in March this year.
“So what should have been done was for President Peter Mutharika to call for an emergency NGC meeting to give the members a fresh mandate and call for a convention,” he said.
But in an interview yesterday, DPP secretary general Grezeldar Jeffrey, insisted that she has the mandate to call for a convention.
“This will be an elective convention and anyone who wants to contest for any position will be free to do so,” Jefrrey said.
When asked if Chilima would be allowed to contest, Jeffrey maintained that anyone who qualifies will be allowed to contest.
She said the chairperson would announce the exact dates for the convention.
Political analyst Mustapha Hussein described the decision to call for a convention as a step in the right direction but was wary that it may not resolve the infighting.
“If the convention will be repressive and intimidating, they will fail…it would only further the tension,” he said.
Last month, DPP vice president for the Southern Region, George Chaponda said the DPP constitution allows Mutharika to represent the DPP unopposed.
But other party members, notably Blantyre City East legislator, Noel Masangwi, accused Chaponda of misleading people. He dismissed Chaponda’s claims, saying the party’s constitution does not say so.
The Chilima movement and Mutharika’s supporters are at daggers drawn over who leads the party in the presidential election next year.
As news that the ruling party would hold a convention was being announced, the DPP Chilima movement was busy making inroads in the heartland of the ruling party, demanding that Chilima be allowed to challenge Mutharika for the top position.
DPP members in Thyolo District converged on a venue in Thyolo Central Constituency, where former presidential aide and influential party member Ben Phiri is contesting.
Led by the party’s Southern Region organising secretary, Henry Matemba, the members asked the party to live by its name by not imposing leaders, both at the constituency and national levels, on them.
“We understand that our President [Peter Mutharika] is not in control of things in the party but there are other officials who are pulling the strings. So, these people are trying to do everything possible to bar Dr Chilima from contesting. That is what we are against. There are a lot of party members, including those in [party] positions, who are behind Chilima in this area,” Samson Magwaya, who is constituency governor for Thyolo Central, said.
During the meeting, which was held at DPP’s Thyolo Central Constituency office, the members also said they were not happy that their area is not benefiting from the cake of national development initiatives as the majority of projects are being implemented in Thyolo East.
“According to the party’s constitution, the party was supposed to hold a convention in April this year, which means that the Nec [National Executive Committee] stands dissolved and those in positions are illegally holding them. As a party that preaches democracy, it is not a crime to allow somebody to contest for the position of president at a convention.
“Dr Chilima is not quitting the party. He is part of DPP. What we are calling for is a free and fair convention,” Matemba said.
The members also said they are not happy with the imposition of DPP director of operations, Phiri, to contest for the parliamentary seat in the constituency.
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