Mia a ‘blow’ to PP -analysts from University of Malawi
Political science lecturer at the Chancellor College, a constituent college of the University of Malawi Dr Mustafa Hussein says the departure of Sidick Mia from the ruling People’s Party (PP) is a big blow to the party considering the popularity and respect he was commanding among members of the party.
Mia told a news conference in Blantyre on Friday that he has resigned as the Transport Minister and the Vice president for the southern province as well as relinquishing the party’s membership.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Nyasa Times, Hussein described Mia’s resignation as a worrying development.
“From the political point of view this is a worrying situation because Sidick Mia was a political heavy weight who raised a profile of PP. Remember he was entrusted by delegates to the convection for the position outclassing some founding members of the PP who were equally heavy weights like Brown Mpinganjira. So his resignation can be considered as a worrying situation, “he said.
However, Hussein said the move may not necessary mean that the party would suffer because, he said, running a party is always a collective responsibility.
“My view is that a party is bigger than an individual so to conclude that this can make PP loose elections because Sidick Mia has left is a hasty conclusion but it may affect or influence others particularly people from his area or constituency or few individuals in the party to leave the party,” Hussein said.
He said it wouldn’t be a good move for Mia to make MCP his next destination after quitting the ruling party citing lack of popularity of the party in the southern region.
“Of course it can be good catch for MCP to have a person like Mia who is influential and wealthy politician but this would compromise his political stature because MCP is not that popular in southern region. So to me moving to MCP is not a wise thing to do,” said Hussein.
Another political professor from Chancellor College, Blessings Chinsinga noted that Mia’s departure will cause a big damage to the PP more especially in the Lower Shire where Mia hails from.
Chinsinga also hinted that a lot more PP members will dump the party following Mia.
“The implication could be that PP is going to lose ground in the lower shire where he had his base. Actually other PP members are likely to follow Mia wherever he would be going” Chinsinga is quoted by Weekend Nation dated January 25th, 2014.
“I can speculate that this is election driven. PP should be concerned greatly to have a key political figure resign just like that,” he added.
Apart from Mia and Chilumpha, PP has also lost Sam Ganda, an MP from Nsanje and First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jones Chingola.
Sources say there are more who will announce quitting.
The May 20 election is the first in which Banda is standing as a presidential candidate.
She ascended from a vice presidency to head of state in 2012 following the sudden death of president Bingu wa Mutharika
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