Chimunthu no show at Mutharika’s rally: Running-mate jig saw puzzle in DPP
President Peter Mutharika on Thursday failed to officially welcome former secretary general of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Henry Chimunthu Banda amid heightened speculation that he was being earmarked to be running mate to Mutharika in 2019 polls.
The DPP and Office of President and Cabinet on Wednesday announced that Mutharika would officially welcome back Chimunthu Banda from his self imposed political exile after losing the party presidency to Mutharika in 2014.
However, on Thursday, Mutharika held a political meeting at Nkhotakota Bpma but Chimunthu Banda was no where to be seen as earlier announced.
Nyasa Times sources say there is a mist over runningmate with working relationship between DPP and United Democratic Front (UDF) where ist leader Atupele Muluzi is serving the Cabinet whilst political wonderboy, Brown Mpingajira is pushing for the name of Chimunthu Banda as he plots his own political interests.
“The DPP is now in disarray. The President seems not to know what to do. He has to pick either Atupele or Chimunthu Banda but the choice seems tough for him,” said our source privy to the DPP conversations.
Both DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi and presidential spokesperson Mgeme KaliLani refused to comment on the matte.
A State House staff in the press team who goes by the pseudo name of Raymond Chikoko said on Facebook that Chimunthu Banda was now out of the list of the people marked for running mate saying the person to be named as running mate will be the apparent heir to the DPP presidency.
Atupele Muluzi was spotted in Mzuzu interacting with DPP supporters just a day after the United Transformation Movement secretary general Patricia Kaliati and her team were harassed and beaten up in Mangochi as they are expected to launch the UTM in the district.
Sources say the thugs who harassed Kaliati and her advance team ahead of the grand UTM launch on Sunday were organised and funded by the DPP/UDF union.
Just hours before the harassment, DPP secretary general Grazider Jeffrey and other DPP officials were addressing meetings in the district.
At the meeting in Nkhotakota, Mutharika said he would emerge victorious over Malawi Congress Party and UTM.
He said the government has lined up a number of development projects for the people in Nkhotakota and Malawi in general.
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Take Atupele Muluzi as running mate, boma lipita kwawo kumene linachokera! Mark my words! Mukuona ngati Peter amaliza mpaka 2024 olo atawina? Mwauponda! Term ikubwerayi with a combined force of UTM, MCP and PP, Peter amva kuwawa kuti alamulire olo atawina. Atcheya Woyeees!
Muntharika should just return the Presidency komwe analandako.Paja inatowina ndi UDF a Bingu ndikuthawa nao u President. Ndie angomupasa Atupeleyo u president ndi wakwao.
No doubt he is joining UTM.
U lost a good running mate Chilima now u clueless Dpp! Pick Gooddall who said govvy is not for babies! Now that Baby is getting his political mileage in secs. giving headaches..clueless and bring true demonic colors of Dpp thugs they are!!
Kodi ifenso tizikumenyani mukabwera kwathu?
I see no difference between DPP/UDF.All these two parties are just the same.Look now UDF/DPP thugs are harassing people who are freely campaigning but all these two leaders are just quiet without condemning them then the next day you hear Bakili Muluzi saying why are you insulting the President.And i wonder why these youths are being used to victimise opponents.It takes a fool to act in that way but a well civilised youth can not accept to be used with stupid politicians.
I have reservations on Chimunthu rejoining DPP because personally know him as a man of strict principles hence I doubt that he can associate himself with current DPP. Lets wait and see
i do hate the name of ‘MULUZI’ in leadership cycles. the MULUZIS, the MUTHARIKAS are the worst leaders the world has experienced. dont we have other SURNAMES please out of 17 million people
DPP is a confused party. Kulubwalubwa ngati galu wachiwewe basi.
Chimunthu is a lightweight. He does not command a large folliwing so DPP or any other party should not waste their time on trying to woo him. Kodi why kukweza bongololo mmwamba?
IS THIS WHAT WE MEAN BY FREE AND FARE CAMPAIGN? ATUPELE MULUZI SHOULD ALSO BE HARASSED IN MULANJE AND NTCHEU TO MARK A POLITICS OF RETERIATION. SILLY MALAWI!! IS THIS THE TYPE OF YOUTHS WE WANT TO RULE OVER US?
Osazichinda wekha ndi chala Hetherwick. there’s no way that lhomwes in mulanje can harass A Muluzi. Iwe sukudziwa kuli alhomwe ndi ayao ndi amodzi? Amene uja kumulanje tikamulandila ndi manja onse ndimvere mfundo zake so stop dreaming.
The absence of Chimunthu might have something to do with value he brings into DPP winning calculus. Does he have sufficient pull in the central region and a bit of northern region? He was feeding on Bingu’s presidency in that way he was in the headlines so the political eclipse on his career was his retirement or exile so during this period the waters kept on flowing politically. Aspirants filled his vacuum. Nkhotakota has politicians whose thinking is slanted towards self isolation but the people will come for me the chilumpha-Chimunthu mentality. Watch this space!!!