Veteran politician rejoins DPP
Veteran politician Nelson Aaron Mwambungu of Karonga has returned to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after he renounced his membership to stand as an independent parliamentarian during the May 19 elections.
Mwambungu ditched the DPP after he lost in the primary polls for Karonga North and stood independently but again lost the seat, which he previously represented, to DPP Vincent Winston Ghambi.
He said he had decided to rejoin the DPP because he has seen that it is the only party that has the welfare of Malawians at heart.
“Besides I was already a DPP member. I left because of some disagreements that ensued during the primary elections. But what you should know is that in theory I left the party but in practice I was still a DPP member.
“The same happened to most independent parliamentarians, they were initially DPP members and they have now seen the need to return to their party so who am I not to? I lost the polls and its now time to offer my support and work with it,” said Mwambungu, described by many political commentators in the North as a political opportunist.
Mwambungu said he had consulted the people who support him in his area and have given him a go-ahead to rejoin the DPP.
“I have declared my interest to rejoin and work with the DPP again because the president [Bingu wa Mutharika] has been saying the door is open to all those who left the party,” said Mwambungu who has been a member of almost all the ruling parties in Malawi including the now losing-ground Alliance for Democracy (AFORD).
During the May 19 elections, the ruling DPP got 114 seats but the government side now has over 142 parliamentarians following a massive exodus of independent MPs to join government.
