DPP Eastern bloc backs Msaka as regional party vice-president
As the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) heads for an elective convention in Blantyre this coming weekend, the party’s Eastern bloc has unanimously agreed to retain Education Minister, Bright Msaka, as the party’s vice president for the region.
A distinguished lawyer and a former head of the civil service, who also served in the diplomatic service in Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe, Msaka is now the only candidate for the post he currently holds after his challenger, former Member of Parliament for Zomba Central Yunus Mussa, pulled out of the race barely a week after announcing his intentions to run.
Speaking in an interview, DPP Regional Governor in the east Julius Paipi said Msaka is the preferred bidder for the post of vice president in the region.
Paipi said the minister, who has also accelerated his campaign for Member of Parliament in Machinga Likwenu constituency in the May 2019 general elections, has in the past few years of his tenure of office demonstrated excellent skills as a servant leader, laid a solid foundation for the growth of the party in the region and cultivated strong grassroots support.
“So to us in the Eastern region, the convention is just a formality, otherwise we already have a leader in the name of Msaka,” said Paipi.
The party’s director of women in the region, Ellube Kandeu, said in a separate interview that Msaka was going unopposed at the convention.
“Our wish is to see him retaining his position because he has done so much for us in the region,” aid Kandeu.
Apart from championing and coordinating development in the region, Msaka has successfully directed campaign for the party’s victory in bye-elections that took place in Zomba Chisi constituency and Zomba Sadzi ward.
As a well travelled and experienced diplomat, Msaka said in one of his recent political rallies that he believes he has what it takes to change the fortunes of the people of the Eastern Region.
On the preparedness of the DPP ahead of the tripartite elections in May 2019, the party chief in the eastern region said currently the ruling party is like a runaway train and is unstoppable.
He said under the tutelage of State President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, the DPP-led government has initiated a number of key development projects in the Eastern Region, such as the construction of the 75 kilometre Liwonde-Mangochi road, construction of 10 secondary schools in Machinga and Balaka respectively, provision of food relief to those affected by last years prolonged draught, all aimed at improving the livelihood of the people in the region.
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