Ben Phiri denies interest in DPP presidency: Ex-TV personality Benedicto Mbewe aspires

January 4, 2021 Nyasa Times Reporter 31 Comments

Democratic Progressive Party law maker for Thyolo Central, Ben Phiri has distanced himself from a poster circulating on social media claiming that he would contest for the party’s presidency at the yet to be announced convention.

Ben Phiri not ripe for leadership

Phiri, who resigned as DPP director of elections after the party lost the country’s presidency to Tonse Alliance, said people should disregard the poster and any such claims, saying his commitment is towards the people of his area.

“Disregard any such news. Hon Dr Ben Phiri is happy to continue serving the constituents in his area Thyolo Central as their elected member of parliament.

“He will continue with the developments he has initiated until the livelihoods of the people in the area are uplifted,” Phiri posted on his official Facebook page.

Phiri, who at some point was former president Peter Mutharika’s close associate, won the Thyolo Central Parliamentary seat during the 2019 Tripartite elections, and was subsequently hired as the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

Meanwhile, another poster carrying the face of former TV personality, Benedicto Mbewe, also circulation, claims he would contest for the party’s Presidency.

Unlike Phiri, Mbewe pasted the poster on his timeline, saying he will be the country’s President for three years and hand over the mantle to the Vice President.

“My wish is to give it to Hon Atupele Muluzi the humble man of the soil as I will go and concentrate on preaching the word of God .

“My battle it’s not about Chakwera and MCP but evil external forces  which have made Malawi and Africa poor . Imagine we still send offerings to western countries,” he stated.

Currently, individuals thought to be earmarked for and eyeing the party’s presidency include former Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor, Dr. Dalitso Kabambe, Football Association of Malawi president Walter Nyamilandu Manda,  Kondwani Nankhumwa (DPP Vice President -South), Bright Msaka (DPP Vice President-Eastern Region) , former finance minister Joseph Mwanamvekha and Mulanje MP Dr. George Chaponda.

Divisions emerged in the party when some senior members, including Secretary General Grezelder Jeffrey suggested for an emergency convention, contending that the former ruling party needed new leaders.

This did not go down well with other members of the central committee, including DPP President Peter Mutharika, who eventually resolved to suspended Jeffrey and all individuals believed to have been pushing for the convention and leadership change in the party.

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31 replies on “Ben Phiri denies interest in DPP presidency: Ex-TV personality Benedicto Mbewe aspires”

  1. It will take 84years for DPP to get back to power if Jeffery wa Jeffery and that adviser guy to Peter Muntharika do not apologise to the Northerners .

    50+1% will be decided by the northerners u used to abuse under DPP. This time around the north is the game changer not either Aford, UTM or PP but northern part of Malawi will decide the next president.

  2. Very interesting a number of people are showing interest to vie for DPP’s top seat. Nobody should think they would get it on a silver platter by virtue of being close to APM

  3. Funny Ben Phiri is referring to himself as Hon Dr. Ben Phiri. He is neither honorable nor a Doctor.

  5. Olo atandithira doom mkamwa …….. not dpp anymore. Fake certificates are in dpp. Fake degrees from unknown universities and not even UNIMA, not MZUNI, not LUANAR, not ABC etc. Degrees from Share World, Exploits, Blantyre University etc are useless. The graduates from these universities fail to write loose minutes and memos in government. Ben and Kondwani tell us which university you went to. At least, we have respect for moya Joseph Mwanavenkha who finished from Chancellor College with economics. Musamuwone mawonekedwe opeperawo he is got guts.

  7. A bwana Phiri, zomadzitchula kuti ” Dr” mukadachepetsako chifukwa kunena zoona udokotala wanu ndi wokayikitsa kwabasi. Komanso ndikuwona ngati udokotala wanuwu ukunyazitsa udotolo weniweni uja timawelengapo Kaye mabuku angapo kuti utheke.

  8. You just dont know what you are talking about Akuchiazi. UTM could not stand alone to the heat of Dpp. Each party has own its mandate in this respect.

    1. Nkhani ndi yakuti. Its posible for DPP and UTM to form alliance. If that come, thats the end of MCP.

  9. Wanzeru sangayambe matukutuku ofuna u president ali ndi milandu ya corruption. Koma nkhawa yanga ndi MCP. Ikumaiwala kuti UTM is as important as MCP in their alliance. UTM is game changer. Mundale mulibe permanent fight; if UTM teams with DPP; adzapeza 50%. Tikukuonanitu.

    1. Ndipo ine ndikufuna zitadzangoterle kumene. A MCP ayamba ntundzu kwambiri. Pano atuma anyapala aku Times ati kuchita assessmeent, kudziunjikira malikisi a MCP, kulefula a UTM. Cholinga choti a UTM aoneke ngati osagwira ntchito. Auiwala kuti akudziombera okha pa mwendo. Whatever tricks MCP may make, it must know it will be the loser. As Akuchikazi says, UTM is a game changer and I see no reason why it cannot go to bed with DPP. If this happens that will be the end of MCP and it will return to the opposition for another 30 years, mark my words.

      1. Now it’s not the utm any more that is the game changer but the northern part of Malawi. Whether u like it or not the north will decide where the presidency should go.

        Ignore the north at your own risk.

  10. Paja DPP president ayenera kukhala mlomwe, ayenera kukhala waku Thyolo, nde chikhulupiliro chawo. Nankhumwa ndi waku Mulanje pachifukwa ichi sangakhale president wa DPP.

    UDF president wake ayenera kukhala mu yawo. Ayenera kuchokera ku machinga, komaso mufunda wake wukhale Mluzi ehee.

    AFORD president wake ayenera kukhala mtumbuka, wochokera ku Rumphi, komaso mufunda wake akhale Chihana.

    Amalawi changamukani, mzipani zosenzi muli liwu loti “democracy” kapena “democratic”.
    Funso nalo Kodi mzipanizi muli democracy? Kodi tiziti ndizamtundu? Kodi ndiza family?
    Ife kumpototu tinakana kutinamiza. Tinayitaya AFORD Chakufwa Chihana Ali moyo.
    Apm sakupeleka zifukwa zokwanira zimene sakufunira Kondwani Nankhumwa kuti akhale president wa chipani.
    Tikuwonererani. Tinawona mumene UDF inathera, tinawona mumene AFORD inathera, panopa mwasala inu.
    I admire MCP 26years in opposition but still intact. Panopa yalowa mu boma mulimbe kuti muzayichose. Musayese kuti ndi PP ija munayidelera.
    Ndikukayika zoti 2025 muzaphula kanthu.

  12. If he was to have it his way he would not even want that convention to take place. He can’t let power go even at party level and the people surrounding him either. So before you discuss dates and interested contenders ask him does he really want convention? Or he simply wants to appoint the next leader ? You are all jumping the gun here. Ntchito ilipo ku villa uku.

  14. Too much toxic people. Failures in politics. Get rid of them first . We need new faces not madeya akalekale. The mighty dpp needs a lot of cleansing.
    Anthu a ma PhD a fake ayinso

  16. Is this photo or picture of BJ? What is wrong with the camera that was used? That aside, people should not waste time with dpp. The party is finished with 50%+1. The party made enemies in the north and centre. Where will they get the votes to make 50%? This is a reality. If Bakili Muluzi and APM had ran this country better than Kamuzu, we would not have seen MCP back. These two (BM and APM) were brutes, thieves etc. They did nothing but destroy the good foundation this country had. Worse than APM was BM. He will go down together with APM as the worst presidents Malawi has ever had. Mbava.

      1. What’s tribe got to do with this?had those so called democrats run this country well today we wouldn’t be fondly remembering one Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda ,contrary to what history would suggests,otherwise.,in his Defence,correctme if am wrong,he did what he could,which was quite a lot with very little resources,those who followed him,have had more money at their disposal but very little development to show for,instead they have been behind a 26 year heist.

    3. Two Presidents are remembered as good. Bingu and Kamuzu (Both have strength and weaknesses) Do not count DPP as finished yet. Do you know that in the rerun, it got more votes? Do you know that most of the people in UTM are form DPP? What will happen if these people decide to vote for their former party? DPP just needs rebranding as how MCP did. N

  17. Who are the people showing interest kkkkkkk,kabambe who robbed us with millions at the reserve bank?

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