DPP condemns MCP for dividing PP, says Chakwera to blame for Mzuzu fracas

Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is fuelling and funding the divisions in Peoples Party (PP) and held opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera responsible for the violence that marred a recent opposition rally in Mzuzu.

DPP publicist Francis Kasaira said in an interview Saturday that Chakwera and his MCP are to blame for the divide and rule political tactic on PP which he said has no leadership since Joyce Banda fled the country on self imposed exile since losing to the 2014 elections to President Peter Mutharika.

“He is to blame for aligning himself with just one faction of the party. He (Chakwera) should either stop supporting one roof in PP or mediate in the party’s leadership crisis,” he said.

He said the divisions in PP led to the violence at the rally in Mzuzu.

However MCP publicist Jessie Kabwila blamed the DPP establisment for sponsoring the violence at the opposition rally, saying the style of the violence had all the hallmarks of DPP.

“DPP is the architect of the violence. This party has the history of violence, it uses panga thugs to intimidate the opposition. You remember the 2011 July 20 violence? The DPP thugs moved up and town Blantyre in DPP t shirts wielding pangas on the streets in DPP branded cars. They are on camera,” she said.

Kabwila said the DPP has no moral mandate to denounce what she called the MCP and PP solidarity.

“DPP must make sure it is delivering on services. People have no food up to now, until now hospitals do not have medicine. These are some of the areas the DPP must prioritise instead of sponsoring violence,” said Kabwila, a fierce critic of government.

She said the DPP is wasting people’s time in Malawi.