Clement Mwale to challenge Wa Jeffrey as DPP SG at convention

Malawi governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will hold its national convention on July 1, 2018. Following the announcement of the date, there has been a proliferation of people who are campaigning to fill various positions in the party across the social media and other forums.

Among the people that have shown interest to run for a position is firebrand young politician, Clement Chancy Mwale. He will challenge the incumbent Grezelder Jeffrey wa Jeffrey for the position of Secretary General (SG).

“I want to bring new and civilized politics in DPP. I want to help the party triumph convincingly during the forthcoming tripartite elections,” Mwale told Nyasa Times in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

Mwale is not new to DPP politics. He has served the party in various administrative capacities since its formation in 2005, under its father and founder, the late Bingu wa Mutharika.

According to Mwale, he served as DPP administrator responsible for the day to day operations of the party at its national headquarters secretariat, and was appointed its administrative Secretary in 2014, a position that he served up 2014. This is the experience that gives him a head-start to bring in the needed operational creativity and leadership for a seamless and forward-looking DPP as it glides into victory in the tripartite elections next year, he said.

Mwale claims his decision to contest draws from a consistent desire to serve in the DPP leadership with utmost loyalty, diligence and dedication in order to take the party to greater heights in line with the party’s founding leader, late President Bingu wa Mutharika’s vision of transforming the political organization into one that truly serves the interests of Malawians.

“President Bingu wa Mutharika’s vision was to create a credible, democratic and progressive party that would meet the economic, social, political needs of Malawians through a transparent and accountable government. Bingu’s vision was to create a Malawi where all citizens enjoyed the constitutional right to participate in the social, economic and political affairs of the country,” said Mwale.

Mwale is single minded on his vision to take the DPP to the upper echelons. Among his pledges, he promises to ensure that the secretariat has a programme to allow members from the NGC down to constituency committees, to regularly meet the President on pertinent matters about the party.

He also pledges to enact an effective dispute resolution framework to help foster intra-party democracy to ensure that internal disputes are quickly and amicably resolved. Mwale said he would ensure there are procedures for the party to elect capable and responsible leaders who shall not wash dirty internal linen in public.

“I will forge partnerships with like-minded political parties and organizations in Malawi and abroad and facilitate exchange visits to learn from each other how to make our organization more vibrant and stronger,” said Mwale.

He also promises to develop vibrant stand-alone women and youth movements that would help drive a membership mobilization campaign at the grassroots level.  

Mwale believes youths in DPP must be given the latitude to take up leading roles in DPP instead of indulging in retrogressive political antics like violence and hate-speech.

“I will ensure that members of these movements undertake familiarization tours across the world to learn how their counterparts manage their affairs and how they help contribute to the growth of the parent political party,” said Mwale.

Mwale said he would initiate a comprehensive party profiling and membership audit exercise across the country so that the DPP is able to know and understand its grassroots support. He also promises to keep records of the party membership, and document the structures at branch, area and constituency levels.

“I intend to create an efficient administration machinery to achieve effective and smooth running of the entire DPP and its programmes. I shall ensure that the secretariat keeps an updated inventory of party property and that abuse of party resources will not be condoned at any level. In liaison with the Treasurer General, I shall ensure that we put in place effective mechanisms to encourage transparency and accountability in the use of party resources,” Mwale said, adding that his other commitment is to ensure that “at the end of my five-year term”, DPP must own real estate, including constructing a state-of-the-art national headquarters building either in Lilongwe or Blantyre, which will house the national secretariat and all DPP national directorates.

A holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from Chancellor College and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Pebbles University in USA, Mwale hopes his education background will give him the needed vantage point and a helicopter view understanding of the challenges that currently fraught the DPP, thereby allowing him to prescribe practical solutions for the party going forward.  He is currently reading for a PhD in Business Administration and is expected to defend his thesis in 2019.

Clement Mwale hails from Mawonga Village in traditional authority (T/A) Kaomba in Kasungu District.  He was born on June 7, 1970, and is happily married with four (4) children.

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