Defiant Bagus still campaigns on DPP platform despite being independent: Apologises to constituents

The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member Salim Bagus , who is contesting as an independent candidate in Chikwawa central, continues to campaign on DPP platform and on Saturday stunned the  crowd which patronised his rally  at Nchalo  Trading Center when he asked for forgiveness urging them to re-elect him as an MP for the area, saying  he would not repeat the mistakes he committed between 2009 to 2004.

Bagus, however,  did not mention the mistakes he committed, saying  people learn from mistakes promising to become a better leader once re-elected as an MP in next month’s elections.

But speaking in an interview a local resident for the area, Agnes Nyambalo of Group Village headman Sekeni in traditional authority (T/A) Lundu said Bagus relocated to Lilongwe immediately he was voted into office, neglecting the constituency and she believes that that was one  of the mistakes the former parliamentarian committed.

At the Nchalo rally, Bagus  also  laboured to convince the seemingly amazed crowd to vote for him as an independent MP while he is still a member of the ruling DPP, the party which  has already  another candidate in the same constituency Samuel Office.

At the  rally Bagus distributed DPP clothes and bicycles , urging the crowd to vote for President  Peter Mutharika  making the people to wonder further as to whether DPP has two parliamentary candidates for the area.

However, in an interview Bagus said he did not see anything wrong to support the ruling party’s president even though he is contesting as an independent MP for the area.

“I am DPP and free to campaign,” said Bagus.

Recently, the top leadership of DPP said Bagus in not a candidate of the party in Chikwawa Central but Samuel Office , clearing the mist that has been dogging the constituency over parliamentary candidate.

Bagus joined DPP after resiging from Malawi Congress Party (MCP) where he was second deputy secretary general.

Both Bagus and Office have been campaigning on DPP platform despite Bagus contesting as an independent candidate.

The development has caused unnecessary tension in the party as the two have been tussling over the distribution of party campaign materials.

But during a campaign whistle-stop meeting in Nchalo last week  addressed by DPP regional governor for southern region, Charles Mchacha and DPP vice president for the region, Kondwani Nankhumwa, the two clarified that Office is DPP candidate and not Bagus.

Nankhumwa said the party has Samuel Office as its candidate while in Chikwa east and north, DPP parliamentary candidates are Griford Maulidi and Owen Chomanika, respectively.—Additional reporting by Osman Faiti, Nyasa Times 

 

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