DPP to undergo major shake-up, says Mutharika

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is expected to under-go a major restructuring almost five months after emerging victorious in the controversial May tripartite elections.

President Peter Mutharika disclosed on Tuesday that there will be major changes in some of the positions including the National
Governing Council (NGC).

“There will be changes very, very soon. We have to restructure the party from the district to the regional level,” said Mutharika.

He said the restructuring process would be done in order to strengthen the party in preparations to 2019 elections.

Mutharika has, however, played down suggestions that Tuesday’s by-elections were litmus test for DPP, saying “We have been in government just five months; therefore it’s too early to consider it a litmus test.”

DPP elected its NGC last year during the party’s convention in Blantyre.

Among the changes expected is the appointment of new DPP vice president to replace Dr Hetherwick Ntaba who is now a diplomat.

Ntaba is heading to London where he will be Malawi High Commissioner to UK. He was the party’s second in command.

DPP outclassed other major political parties Malawi Congress Party (MCP), United Democratic Front (UDF) and Peoples Party (PP) in the country’s first ever tripartite elections that were marred by irregularities, riots and court injunctions.