DPP hits back at PP for politicising arrests over fake Malawi VP letter

Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has poked fun at opposition Peoples Party (PP) for suggesting the government is on a campaign to persecute the former ruling party followers and sympathisers.

This follows the arrest of Peoples Party founding leader Joyce Banda’s sister Cecilia Kumpukwe for allegedly authoring a letter in which vice president Saulos Chilima purpotedly resigned from his position.

But DPP spokesperson Francis Katsaira laughed off the matter, wondering if Peoples Party was still existent in Malawi.

“The party is no longer there on the ground. It vanished long ago, it is finished. Party officials, including Mrs Joyce Banda herself, left the party long time ago,” he said.

He therefore said it would be fruitless to target anyone on the basis of party affiliation when the Peoples Party is non existent.

Joyce Banda spokesperson Andekuche Chamthunya and Peoples Party spokesperson Noah Chipeni said Banda’s sister Cecelia Kumpukwe and others were targetted because they are PP members.

“The aim of the DPP is to weaken Peoples Party,” said Chipeni.

Peoples Party popularity dwindled significantly after Banda went into self imposed exile soon after the 2014 general election which she lost to Peter Mutharika.