Analyst warns on imposing leader of opposition: DPP cancels hearing for Nankhumwa amidst protests

September 18, 2020 Wongani Chiuta - Nyasa Times 73 Comments

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Friday cancelled a disciplinary hearing of its vice-president (South) and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Kondwani which was scheduled to take place at the Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe after number of members of Parliament and other party followers held demonstrations in solidarity with Nankhumwa.

Hands off Nankhumwa!
Hands off Nankhumwa!
DPP members of parliament and followers at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe in solidarity with Nankhumwa
Munthali: There is lack of sincerity in the alleged disciplinary offences against Nankhumwa as raised by DPP

Nankhumwa, who is also Mulanje Central legislator, was summoned for a disciplinary hearing by the party for alleged breach of party protocols.

Notable members of Parliament who assembled at Golden Peacock Hotel to sing in protests included vociferous MP for Mulanje Bale Victor Musowa, Blantyre City South East Constituency Sameer Suleman Sameer Suleman and Mwanza West MP Joyce Chitsulo.

“We are against moves to make Nankhumwa not breath politically. The party should take away the knee on his political life,” said Musowa.

Suleman said DPP legislators were in solidarity with their leader in parliament will side with him.

One of the chanting DPP supporters accused party “political fossils” like Francis Mphepo the administrative secretary and Brown Mpinganjira of misleading its outgoing president Peter Mutharika.

According to a letter dated September 10 2020, signed by DPP disciplinary committee secretary Charles Mhango and addressed to Nankhumwa, the party has summoned the Leader of Opposition in Parliament following a complaint raised by the party’s deputy secretary general.

Nankhumwa is charged with four counts of disciplinary breaches which include an offence of undermining DPP president Peter Mutharika and allegedly imposing himself on the position of Leader of Opposition when Mutharika had appointed Mulanje South West legislator George Chaponda, with Nankhumwa as the party’s chief whip.

The party is also accusing Nankhumwa of conspiracy to mislead Mutharika when he together with the party’s secretary general (Grezelder Jeffrey) lied to Mutharika MPs would revolt if his position is to be reversed.

And on the third count, Nankhumwa is accused of failing to resolve and respond to queries about his education background while the fourth count pertains to his alleged meeting with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) officials between August 1 and September 4 at former official hostess Cecilia Kadzamira’s residence.

Governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali told Nyasa Times that there is lack of sincerity in the alleged disciplinary offences against Nankhumwa as raised by the party.

Said Munthali: “If DPP was indeed sincere, they would have raised the issue of Nankhumwa’s academic qualifications for example a long time ago when the issue was all over social media. However, they retained him and gave him even more challenging positions in the party as well as in Cabinet. One then wonders have DPP realized now that the alleged Nankhumwa qualification is an issue now?”

Munthali said the charge against Nankhumwa imposing himself as a leader of opposition and allegedly leading a revolt against Mutharika “lacks merit and reflects badly on DPP as a party which brags of embracing democratic values.”

He noted that party MPs in exercising of their democratic right preferred Nankhumwa to Mutharika’s imposed Chaponda as a leader of Opposition.

“It’s important that MPs should have a leader in Parliament whom they have trust, respect and confidence in. Any attempt to impose leaders should be discouraged and condemned in strongest terms,” said Munthali.

He also said the protests that MPs did in Parliament against Mutharika’s attempt to impose a leader that they didn’t want and instead support Nankhumwa was another democratic decision that must be commended.

“In summary, this disciplinary action has nothing to do with all those changes. Those charges may just be mere scapegoat. The issue here is about succession wrangle in DPP.

“Certainly, Nankhumwa may no longer be Mutharika’s and DPP inner circle favourite to succeed Mutharika, and this camp would definitely use everything to fight and finish him politically. However, DPP is wasting it’s time with these internal succession wrangles and by the time they will realize it will be too late,” he said.

DPP lost in the June 23 2020 Fresh Presidential Election to the nine-party Tonse Alliance led by MCP president Lazarus Chakwera who partnered Mutharika’s then estranged Vice-President Saulos Chilima of UTM Party on the presidential ticket.

Peter Mutharika took over the leadership of DPP after the death of his brother, Bingu wa Mutharika in April 2012, propelling the party to victory in the 2014 Tripartite Elections.

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73 replies on “Analyst warns on imposing leader of opposition: DPP cancels hearing for Nankhumwa amidst protests”

  2. Kodi nankhumwa anaphunzira MCDE yiti paja? With this bunch of thick uneducated in dpp, Chakwera will have field days. Even nkhalamba NTCHONA would have been embarrassed by Chakwera as he too is thick. Remember his car crash interview in London which Kagame came to his rescue?

  3. This political analyst shame on him. He overlooked real political issues within the DPP. He scratches on the surface and focuses on minor issues while the grave political issues are left not analysed.

    Nankhumwa is hugely responsible for DPP failures. He lacks the mental and leadership stamina to guarantee and give confidence for people to consider DPP changed. Let the Walters, the Kabambez, the Ngalandez run with this DPP leadership. Let him remain and be better placed as chief whip. Kwinako its beyond him. Unless he wants to pair with Chilima in future.

  4. The party has it’s president whose mandate is still there. Why did Nankhumwa decide not to obey his own president? Every organisation has its own code of conduct. I don’t like dpp. I want the looting party dead. The conduct of Nankhumwa is accelerating the death of dpp. Nkhani ndi benefits of the office of leader of opposition and one of them is the Prado. Ndale za dyera adayambitsa Bakili.

  6. Not presidential material for me.i have interacted with him but i dont see anything in him.for dpp to regain its lost glory it needs new faces and not people like nankhumwa

  9. Leader of opposition most of times is elected in parliament and by parliamentarians he/she represents and not by ousted presidents so to speak according to present situation. Why is Chaponda and Peter so desperate of the position?
    You DPP members who say Nankhumwa is thuggery in nature, are you speaking this in good faith? Why NOW? ‘Chilungamo ndi chofunika Anthony apa.

  11. Of all the charges, the one regarding his qualifications can be challenging for him to defend. He failed standard 8 exams and used one deceased’s qualification to start Form 1. This will land him in court and all these supporters will just watch and do nothing whilst the prosecution will be tearing him apart. Judgement coming from the case will land him in jail concluding the final nail on his political coffin.
    There are so many who are using other people’s qualifications that if taken to court can get their careers finished.

  12. Mukamaliza kufufuza za George Malemia A.K.A. Kondwani Nankhumwa, mufufuzenso za Arafat Hamdan A.K.A. Saulosi Chilima. For the sake of fairness!! Tamvana zimenezo?

    Mukamalizanso kufufuza za Norman Chisale mufufuzenso za Joice Banda because she was mentioned by many cashgate convicts eg Lutepo. Why is Malawi pretending as if Joice Banda was not implicated during the cashgate trials? Where did the presidential jet money go? Who used it? HRDC are you sure Joice Banda is not a big cashgate suspect? Why are you not dragging her to court to clear her name? Why are you and the ACB advancing selective justice?

  13. Nankhumwa has shown the heart of Arrogance and know it all. He betrayed the Party President Former State President APM by diverting the instruction he received to benefit himself. Mutharika has to discipline Nankhumwa to learn something in it

  14. So Mr. Analyst you are saying APM must not impose koma
    Nankhumwa should impose himself? Mr analyst kapena Nankhumwa Employee?

  17. Let’s face it good people and please be serious. Do people like BJ, Matchona Mphepo and Chaponda, Msaka, Musa, Mwananvekha etc impress you as possible DPP Leaders? Certainly not me. Force any of these on people and you can forget DPP bouncing back. On the other hand Nankhumwa appears to be an entirely different breed.

  18. As the Holy Bible says, there is a time for everything. A time to be born, a time to die. A time to laugh, a time to cry. A time to sow, a time to reap.
    This is DPP’s time to disintegrate.

    1. Chodabwitsa ndichakuti anthu a tonse alliance ndiomwe
      amamupopa  Nankhumwa .iz it because  ndi informant  wao?

    1. Nankhumwa has done more damage in the DPP than good. He set
      up Thom Mpinganjira with the judges because he thought Mutharika would leave
      the mantle to Mpinganjira

    3. Let Nankhumwa take a few independent MP’s he sponsored to
      parliament and form his own party. This young man has his own agenda and the
      DPP guru’s know it hence the resistance .

    1. One of his qualifications is that he talks sense whenever he opens his mouth and he has managed well as leader of opposition in parliament as well as DPP VP South. Did you ever hear him spewing foul language as some thugs in the party?

  24. So Mr. Analyst you are saying APM must not impose koma
    Nankhumwa should impose himself? Mr analyst kapena Nankhumwa Employee?

  25. People pays Journalists well and that’s why people think he
    is better. Believe you me, this article is also sponsored by him. kikiki

    1. It seems you know him well. he is a guy who gives money to journalist to write positive stories about him. He mainly did this when he was minister of information some time back

  30. Nankhumwa  betrayed  his own  DPP  to fail
     because he was nowhere near succession
    plan. He know we would still have benefits as leader of opposition

    1. Lamulo la Malawi silinena Kuti ukhale NDI qualification yakuti Kuti ukhale phungu or presidential candidate, Koma limati as long as ungati umaziwa kulemba or kuwerenga chizungu. Msiyeni Nankhumwa

  33. Kondwani  NANKHUMWA pamaso
    amaoneka ngati  munthu wabwino koma he is
    thug! He is the man behind JOMO and BANGWE 1 anapha Chasowa uja.

  34. Nankhumwa ndi mfiti! He was behind downfall ya Mtengowaminga,
    Thom Mpinganjira, Chaponda  etc. he wants
    DPP presidency.

  35. The issue is very clear! The president chooses to the leader
    of opposition and akuluwa akukakamilachani?

  39. Lupanga lake lomwe afa nalo, amakonda kusemera zinyawu
    anzake uyu kuti adzioneka wabwino, mboni ndi APM, CHILIMA, KALIATI, HENRY MUSSA

  46. We can do without DPP party in Malawi. Why on earth should a very old former president still control the future of the party in parliament? Only in Malawi. Muluzi failed, Mutharika will fail then we won’t have strong opposition. Gone Mutharikaism

  55. Instead of explaining himself, Nankhumwa brought in thugs ku
    DPP disciplinary committee to undermine and intimidate them, REASON ENOUGH TO
    BE FIRED

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