Chihana rips ‘vuvuzela’ Dan Msowoya: Cracks in Aford on the road to Malawi 2014
Cracks are emerging in Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) following party national chairman Enock Chihana slurs on publicity secretary Dan Msowoya over his criticism on President Joyce Banda’s proposed parallel farm inputs subsidy programme (FISD) to benefit farmers that do not access the government sponsored programme.
A few days ago, Msowoya issued a statement attacking President Banda on her proposal to have a parrarel farm subsidy programme.
In the statement, Msowoya argued that coming up with a parrarel farm input subsidy programme was unconstitutional and urged the President to instead introduce a universal farm input subsidy programme.
Fisp which was launched in the 2005/6 farming season by late president Bingu wa Mutharika is credited with increased maize production in the country.
However, speaking in an interview with Nyasa Times on Saturday, Chihana took a swipe at Msowoya likening him to a vuvuzela horn that produces a continuous rattling sound.
Chihana said Msowoya’s statement against parrarel farm input subsidy programme are not the views and stand of AFORD.
”What is unconstitutional about the president creating her own farm input subsidy programme? Dan Msowoya as publicity secretary should not just behave like a Vuvuzela that can be blown at will and make noise,” said Chihana.
Chihana, who is also Sports Minister in the Joyce Banda government, said Msowoya risks expulsion from the party if he makes similar inconsistent statements in the media.
The AFORD national chairman then said his party will continue working with the Peoples Party led government in helping develop the country, particularly the northern region.
Nyasa Times’ efforts to talk to Dan Msowoya on the matter proved futile as his phone could not be reached.
He is reportedly in Liberia on a private trip.
President Banda appointed Aford’s only parliamentarians Enock Chihana (Rumphi Central) as Minister of Youth and Sports and Khwauli Msiska (Karonga Nyungwe) as Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and Development.
Aford was founded by fire-brand pro-democracy campaigner Chakufwa Chihana in 1992 after the Catholic Church made the first direct challenge to the then one-party dictatorship under Hastings Kamuzu Banda and his Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
The party swooped all the 33 parliamentary seats in the northern region and three more in the central district of Kasungu making it the king-maker despite Chihana losing the presidency to Bakili Muluzi in the first multiparty elections in 30 years in 1994.
To balance power in Parliament shifted when Muluzi invited Aford into an alliance with the then ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) and made Chihana Second Vice-President.
The party’s fortunes started waning when Chihana unilaterally dumped the government accusing it of corruption. Aford ministers who went into cabinet with him refused to follow him out of government. The party split into two with one faction forming a rival party.
By the time Chihana died in 2006 the party only had six seats in the 193-member Parliament. Currently it only has two MPs – Khwauli Msiska and Enoch Chihana, the founder’s son.
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