AFORD’s Chihana returns home, clarifies prolonged absence

Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) president, Enock Chihana, returns to Malawi  after a more than a month long absence and missing the Budget Session of Parliament,  saying he was attending the Pan-African parliament meeting in  South Africa.

Chihana, son to pro-democracy hero, Chakufwa Tom Chihana, has been engaged in a political fight with Karonga Central legislator, Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo, who claims he is the rightful president of the party after a convention last May.

But Chihana said he would “clarify through a press briefing” on a number of issues making rounds about the party.

“I’ve been away for equally important meeting including the Pan-African Parliament meeting in South Africa where I was elected the parliament’s vice president. I will inform the country and AFORD’s membership on a number of issues,” said Chihana in a telephone interview.

But Mwenifumbo said, in another interview recently, that Chihana was “an absentee” president for the party.

And, the party’s vice president, Precious Chisi, said that upon his arrival AFORD will run an intensive campaign in the northern region.

“We’re highly optimistic that AFORD will be great again in the North. A lot of potential candidates are willing to contest as parliamentarians and ward councilors on our ticket,” boasted Chisi.

AFORD had 33 seats in parliament in 1993 in the country’s first democratic elections. It only has two now, Chihana and Mwenifumbo.