AFORD vice president joins ruling PP
The second Vice President of Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), Chinkhokhwe Banda has abandoned his party to join the ruling People’s party (PP).
Banda, former MP of Kasungu North-North East, told the rally addressed by President Joyce Banda at Edingeni Primary school ground Friday that he decided to join PP after realizing that there was sound leadership in the country under the incumbent State President Mrs Joyce Banda.
“By appointing Khumbo Kachali as Vice President of the country, Joyce Banda has proved to us that she has the welfare of all people at heart. When I say all people I mean including people in the Northern Region who were regarded as dead by some former presidents,” Chinkhokhwe Banda told the people amid hand clapping and ululation.
He said the President was aware that Northern Region was sidelined for a long time in terms of having top leadership positions such as Vice President of the country.
Chinkhokwe said since people in the region were disgruntled for not making it to top leadership positions, they resorted to forming many political parties with the hope that one day one of them would become leader of the country.
The former AFORD second vice president then appealed to supporters of his former party and other political parties in the region such as NARC, to deregister their political parties and join PP, saying it was the only political grouping that cared about all people in the country regardless of where they come from.
He said apart from uniting people of all regions in the country, the current President had also succeeded in improving relations between Malawi and other countries.
Also announcing his defection to PP was Norman Nyirenda who was DPP candidate who lost to Enock Chihana during the parliamentary by-election in Rumphi Central Constituency.
Nyirenda echoed Chinkhokwe Banda’s sentiments, saying he joined PP because it was the only party that cared about all the people in the country, hence the need for people to support it during the forthcoming by election.
He said by voting for the PP candidate, Raymond Nkhata for Mzimba South West Constituency and Aram Beza for Mzimba Central Constituency, it would be one way of showing appreciation to the president who appointed their own son Khumbo Kachali as Vice President.
