2 tiny parties Aford, Narc alliance sealed

Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) and the tiny National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) have say they have have struck a deal to work together ahead of the May 21 tripartite elections, NARC president Yeremiah Chihana has confirmed.

According to the agreement, Chihana said all NARC aspirants will stand on AFORD ticket during the elections.

Yeremiah is a relation to AFORD president, Enock Chihana.

“It is just a working relationship,” said Yeremiah, “NARC aspirants will stand on AFORD ticket. This does not mean that NARC has been dissolved. It is just part of strengthening the two parties.”

He said he would also contest as parliamentarian for Mzimba North Constituency.

“The national executive committee (NEC) had already discussed this before I even became President. You know I became President soon after Loveness Gondwe [his former wife and founder of the party] dumped the party for MCP. So, it has been a long standing resolution to implement,” he said.

But Yeremiah denied reports that the plan is to prepare him for AFORD leadership so that he can take over from  Enock.

AFORD spokesman, Khumbo Mwaungulu, while failing to deny or accept the reports, accused some NEC members for leaking the information.

Mwaungulu said the matter is still under AFORD executive committee hence it was too early to disclose.

“NARC has not been dissolved as per earlier communication but rather leadership of AFORD and NARC are in serious talks to enter into a working alliance where NARC will field aspiring parliamentarians and councillors (including NARC President Honorable Yeremiah Chihana) in the May 2019 elections under AFORD ticket. It’s not only NARC. [There are also] a number of parties have approached us and the NEC is looking into that,” he said.

Mwaungulu said that the agreement regarding the alliance will be made to the public next week after NEC meets.

Rumours are now rife that Enoch wants to handover the party to  Yeremiah.

The decision, according to rumours, is to make sure that Karonga Central legislator, Frank Mwenifumbo, fails to take over the party’s leadership.