Chilima’s political manouvers creeps into Malawi parliament

Nsanje south west MP Joseph Chidanti Malunga on Wednesday decorated Vice-President Saulos Chilima for his bold decision  leave the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and not enter a leadership charade to challenge President Peter Mutharika at  the party convention slated for this month.

Chidanti hailed Chilima—who remains Vice-President until the end of his term next May—for deciding to leave the DPP so he can strategize on  his vision for Malawi that promoted love, peace, unity, compassion and knows no tribalism, nepotism and creed.

Speaking in parliament when he contributed on the K1.5 trillion national budget, Malunga described Chilima as a visionally leader who will redeem Malawi from what he called tatters of poverty.

“Chilima is a leader who wants to fix the divided nation, a nation so divided into tribal and regional lines, he is a leader born and educated here, a leader who puts Malawi first,” he said.

Malunga scorned President Mutharika for abandoning the World Nsanje Inland port, the colour dream project of his late brother, Bingu.

“In the run up to the election, he told us that soon after winning, he would jump into a helicopter and fly to Nsanje. Four years now, he is not talking about it,” he said.

Addressing the Chilima Movement, which for months has been calling for Mutharika to leave the stage to him to steer the DPP in 2019, the Vice-President thanked them for the courage and determination they had displayed despite all odds.

He would not, however, accept that his decision not to contest was a betrayal to the movement, opting not to speak on their behalf but describing their trust in him as humbling.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Mulanje South Bon Kalindo says the Chilima Movement will continue to back Chilima.

Kalindo said the  objective of the movement was to urge Chilima to be president of this country.

“We will not stop until we fulfill this agenda,” he said.

Another member of the movement Patricia Kaliati,  who is DPP national director of women, said she was happy with Chilima’s decision.