Atupele off to China as visiting scholar: UDF appoints Patel as acting president

United Democratic Front (UDF) has appointed its veteran politician  and party leader in  parliament Lilian Patel as its acting president  after its president Atupele Muluzi left for China where he will  spend three months as visiting scholar at Peking University.

UDF spokesperson  Ken Ndanga confirmed  evelopment in an interview with Nyasa Times on Saturday.

He said  the Mangochi South legislature, Patel, has taken over the mantle from Atupele to guide UDF both in Parliament and outside.

Ndanga said  Atupele is expected to be back in December.

” He wil be hosted by the University of Peking one of the prestigious Universities in China, ” Ndanga said.

He added while in China the UDF president will also visit India to attend a board meeting with an organisation called Energy Fund for Africa where he was appointed as one of the board members.

Patel is one of longest serving members of the Malawi parliament.

She entered parliament in 1994 at the reintroduction of multiparty democracy in Malawi.

In the House,  UDF deputy leader is Rodrick Khumbanyiwa, an MP in Chikwawa.

Ned Phoya of Zomba Ntonya  is the party chief whip.

UDF president tumbled in the parliamentary elections in May for the first time since he entered the House 15 years ago.