DPP fire BJ Mpinganjira as spokesperson, accuses him of joining MCP

Almost one year after opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) appointed Brown James Mpinganjira as its Spokesperson, the party has fired him, accusing the politician of playing double standards.

In a letter dated August 10, 2021 and signed by the party leader, Peter Mutharika, the party advises BJ, as he is popularly known in political circles, they “no longer requires his services”.

The party accuses Mpinganjira of neglecting his duties and that the party has information he is set to join the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Mpinganjira could not pick calls when Nyasa Times attempted to seek his reaction to his dismissal from the former ruling party.

In a television interview, Times Exclusive on June 26, 2021, Mpinganjira surprised many when he asked Mutharika, who is the country’s former President, to “move on” after losing the June 23, 2020 fresh presidential election and support the current MCP) government under President Lazarus Chakwera.

Mpinganjira told Times Exclusive’s Wonder Msiska that for this country to enjoy real social and economic development, Mutharika and the DPP needed to put politics aside and support the government of the day.

Formerly a fierce critic of the MCP government and its leadership, Mpinganjira suddenly changed his tune and said it was now time that former Presidents, former Vice Presidents, and all Malawians worked together and help the current Chakwera administration deliver on its pledges and commitments, saying “Malawi is a ship and that when it sinks, we all sink, and not only MCP members and supporters”.

The interview confirmed rumours that BJ had secretly met President Chakwera and that he was contemplating joining the ruling MCP. A known political ‘rolling stone’, Mpinganjira has been a member of all major political parties in the country. In early 2000, he formed his own party, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) when he fell out with former United Democratic Front (UDF) and former Republican President Bakili Muluzi.
BJ was appointed to replace former Spokesperson and former cabinet minister Nicholas Dausi who went into political ‘hibernation’ immediately after Mutharika and DPP lost power to Chakwera and MCP.