Billy Malata, Big Joe still challenging APM’s eligibility for 2025 elections
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Deputy Director of Political Affairs, Fredrick Billy Malata, has disclosed that he is still pursuing the case in which, together with Joe Nyirongo, they are seeking court interpretation on the eligibility of Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.
Malata and other DPP senior officials Joe Nyirongo and Ken Msonda took Mutharika to court after he had openly declared his interest to compete for the party presidency at the convention.
However, Msonda claimed at the party’s National Governing Council (NGC) meeting held at Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi that they had withdrawn the case.
He even showed Mutharika to support his claim.
But addressing journalists in Lilongwe on Saturday, Malata distanced himself from Msonda’s sentiments, stating that the case is still on.
He also dismissed as fake a document circulating on the social media, with purported signatures of Malata, Nyirongo and Msonda, indicated that the trio had closed the case.
He accused the authors of the document as having ill intentions aimed at confusing Malawians on the matter.
“Mr. Nyirongo and I are still pursuing this matter in court. If someone decided to withdraw from the case, that’s his democratic right. But as for Nyirong and I, we are still seeking court interpretation on the matter,” said Malata.
He disclosed that the case was recently adjourned because on the day it was scheduled, the responsible judge was engaged with other matters and that soon the case will proceed.
At the same presser, Malata announced that he will contest on of the position of Director of Political Affairs at the forthcoming DPP convention.
In a separate interview, Msonda said he made the sentiments after proposing to his colleagues to withdraw the case for the sake of unity of purpose and peace in the party.
He claimed that Malata and Nyirongo agreed to let go of the case.
“As I was drafting the letters, Malata thought ndi kuchedwa and he went ahead to give our lawyer, Counsel Gladwell Majekete his letter to withdraw the case. When I went to give our lawyer my letter, he showed me Malata’s letter of withdrawing the case. I wasn’t surprised because that’s what we agreed,” he said.
“I called Big Joe to come and sign his letter, which I had. Big Joe asked me to sign *”pp”* on his behalf because he was busy fixing his car that was involved in an accident. Malata later reversed his decision because the party fired him as NGC member therefore, I and Big Joe are not surprised with Malata’s insistence to continue with the case, Malata feels injured and wants to fight on, it’s his democratic and constitutional right.
“The party fired him as NGC member instead of engaging him on his outbursts. I have no further comments on Hon Malata’s press briefing held today. Me and Big Joe, we closed the Court matter chapter. You may also wish to know that it’s Frayson Chodzi forcing Malata not to withdraw the case.
*Chodzi is being used by some DPP gurus closest to HE APM – NOT NANKHUMWA (I have their names)
* These are DPP gurus who funded our case, they are bitter that we withdrew the case, they want to finish APM. Ndikadzawatopera adzayaluka and APM adzakhumudwa kwambiri,” claimed Msonda.
DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba told a local newspaper soon after the presser that the party is prepared to defend the case in court.
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