Muluzi ally dismiss Uladi claims on Mbilizi

Mbilizi greeting with Muluzi: Now apolitical

Uladi Mussa, president of Maravi People’s Party (MPP) was wrong to announce that Dr Margaret Asalele Mbilizi is vice president of his party, according to a devotee to former president Dr Bakili Muluzi.

Uladi announced at a news conference at Cresta Hotel in Lilongwe that Dr Mbilizi formely an aide to Muluzi is the MPP’s parliamentary candidate for Chiradzulu central and vice president of the party.

However, Muluzi well-known  devotee on internet discussion forum [Nyasanet], Tom Likambale of Canada posted on the internet through Malawi Newswire Services (MNS) that the announcement was wrong.

“The recent announcement by the Maravi People's Party [MPP] President Uladi Mussa, to the effect that Dr. Margaret Asalele Mbilizi is the party's Vice President and electoral candidate is erroneous,” writes Likambale in an MNS post on Nyasanet.

“Dr. Mbilizi has long retired from active politics, choosing instead to concentrate on her professional academic career.  She is one of the Registrars of the University of Malawi and is currently pursuing post-doctoral studies and a senior fellowship at Michigan State University in the United States of America,” pointed out the statement.

It said among her students are Masters and PhD award candidates.

“When Dr. Mbilizi returns to Malawi after her study tour, probably in the middle of next year, she will do so to further pursue her professional academic and educational administration career, and not to pursue politics,” said the statement.

“Dr. Mbilizi has no interest in politics beyond what she did already in the past. She has fully retired from active politics, with no desire whatsoever to return to it,” MNS posting read.

Mussa who was sacking in the President Bingu wa Mutharika government as agriculture minister is in an electoral alliance with UDF.

Political scientist Pofela Nyekanyeka has said the development smacks “cracks” within the alliance.

“I can see some smoke in this UDF alliance,” said Nyekanyeka.

“Perhaps, Mussa is still nursing ambitions to run for presidential race and I will not be surmised if he has been soliciting support for that cause,” he said.

Dyson Gonthi publicity secretary of MPP could not immediately comment.