DPP says convention is on, anti-APM calls unnecessary
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has asked its supporters to exercise patience as the party is organizing a convention as calls are growing louder that the party would lose if President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) vies for the second term in the forthcoming 2019 Tripartite Elections.
A faction in the party argue that the 79-year-old Mutharika will be a liability to his party in next year’s general elections on account of his old age. They say the President should retire at the end of his current five-year term and allow his 45-year-old Vice-President Saulos Chilima to contest on the governing DPP’s ticket
But DPP spokesperson Francis Kasaila and presidential advisor Hetherwick Ntaba said the mandate for the current
leadership of the DPP runs up to 2019, saying there is no need therefore to push for the convention.
“People should be patient, the party will hold the convention,” said Kasaila.
Kasaila;s comments come barely a day after some DPP executive committee members, including the party’s vice presidents, and the women’s wing, held a news conference separately to back President Peter Mutharika candidacy.
This follows former president Callista Mutharika’s surprise call for her brother in-law, President Mutharika to pave way for Chilima as the party torch bearer in the 2019 election, arguing the president is too old to hold on to power.
Kasaila said the party would issue a statement once all logistics for the convention have been finalized.
Ntaba said the party will not be distracted by Callista Mutharika on its strategy to feature Mutharika as the torch-bearer and Chilima as his running-mate, as was the case in the 2014 polls.
DPP Eastern Region vice-president Bright Msaka also said the party will hold its convention soon, insisting Mutharika will be their torchbearer come 2019.
However, Msaka who is also believed to be earmarked for running-mate of Mutharika, said Chilima will not pair with Mutharika unless the President will decide to maintain him.
He said: “The choice of a running mate remains a presidential choice. In 2014, it pleased him to choose Saulos Chilima. So we cannot tell you his choice because we cannot speak for him.”
Political commentator Nandin Patel has warned DPP to take views of people seriously if it is to realise its dream of maintaining power in 2019, saying “members of the party should have the right to express their views on the candidate they want.”
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Where is Santana? He has been making noise when Mcp was embroiled in problems lile this and has been saying there are no such problems in dpp. Please santana, I want to know your stand on this succession problem hitting your party.”Chawona mzako chapita mawa chili pa iwe”
It is interesting to read the qualities emphasized by tha anti – APM novices; young and energetic but heavily inexperienced. We have all heard what the young. Energetic but inexperienced North Korea leader is doing. We do not want that to happen in Malawi. Let the young and energetic ones finish their ECD ( early childhood development) learning first.
Learn from USA where Obama was young, energetic and experienced in running government affairs before going to white house. Obama served as senator (MP) and then Governor ( leader of a state) before becoming the president of the United State of America and he performed exceptionally well on account of these qualities. Show me the youth of Malawi with a resemblance of such an impeccable track record.
After him who were competing for the White House? Obviously Hillary Clinton and Trump and what were their ages? People of America opted for Trump who was not young then but he lacked experience in running government at that time. We all know the sort of blunders he has been making on account of lack of experience. Malawians do not want to undergo that kind of learning curve. Malawi’s governance structures are not as elaborate as those of United States. All that count is not age but experience as has been demonstrated with the similarities in try and error in both North Korea and USA where their leaders are of different ages but similar inexperience.
The issue of presidential age limit must be blamed on MCP. They are the ones that rejected that provision in 1992/93 constitution review conference because they wanted to field their 92 years old Kamuzu, at that time, in the 1994 general election. Anybody wanting that provision must contact the law reform commission but I am sorry any such amendments will not affect the 2019 elections as it is already too late now.
It is clear that the country’s politicians including some political churches are afraid of APM. They started with inciting REVOLT which never worked, they started the campaign of creating unsubstantiated accusations of people from the south holding influential positions in parastatals and eventually have them removed so that people from that region should be forced to hate APM, that too has failed despite having those people removed from their positions. They started the campaign of 50+1 which they thought would work against APM but that too failed. They have now resorted to age limit knowing that it cannot be changed. We are assuring them that it will fail as well.
If old people are not able to make informed decisions, why are they allowed to be members of churches and allowed to receive “UKALISITIYA”. Indeed if old people are not fit to make any informed decisions why are they allowed to vote and take part in deciding who should be the leader of this country, if indeed their decision is not informed?
I have got no doubt at all this stupid crusade will fail because it is based on malice and unholy power usurp. We don’t force people to contest, we elect people to contest at a party convention and that too applies to DPP as per their constitution. Anyone who attempts to force people to contest in DPP are not aware of the constitution of that party and, therefore, are not genuine members of that party. If they are members of that party and know the party’s constitution then they are evil and bent on nothing but dangerously usurping power.
@Hatton: In the main, I agree with your argument(s).
Your examples are relevant (even if Obama was never State Governor – but you are allowed imperfection). And the thrust of your argument is spot on, man. In this age we talk of age 80 being the new 60! Experience is perhaps the best teacher.
start packing. We told you. You thought you can fool all the people around, Nonse azigogo timanga. Mumatibela achinyamatafe inu mutanjoya kale. Munya Muona,
Ntaba really looks worried! He is lost in thoughts wondering what has befallen him at this odd hour. Wondering why he and his mates can no longer comprehend modern age polotics. He is at loss……no more power. The podium for blasting the opposition is giving way! the house he has been living has caught fire which no water can quench! No light at the end of the tunnel. Truly times have changed! he says to himself.
kkkkkk iwe nde mlakatuli, I thought the same as well when I saw him.
Tinene zoona ndi zimene wanena kalista, nonse manganga mukuonadi manganga ine sindimadziwa
Tiyeni nazoni pano mwazindikila kuti ziko ili ndi la tonse Chitipa to Nsanje.
So AGE is THE determining factor detractors of APM can come up with now? That is a losing strategy, if they insist on this. How about the record of the guy and his Party … since when does that not matter?
The official, and especially the self-appointed UNOFFICIAL opposition are grabbing on just pretty well anything they think will thwart DPP, next year. Everybody can see through this. Won’t work as elections are won based on policy (yes, even in Malawi) and DEVELOPMENT; and personality.
And on corruption: it’s fair to say the current government has put on the brakes here.
JUST COMPARE WITH LEVELS AND BROADNESS OF CORRUPTION AND “THEFT BY SERVANT” DURING THE PP REGIME!
Oh, one more thing: in terms of age, isn’t 80 the new 65 now?
you must be stupid , what did you say about corruption? I hope you are not living in malawi, or else you ar mad.
Even people like Ntaba should be kicked out there were there in 1993 defending the one-party state, since he left MCP he has been trying to be an MP but he has failed which means people in his area do not find him useful. It is the government which is keeping him, otherwise awa ndiye zilombozo
If already you are saying Mutharika is the torchbearer for 2019 presidential election, what’s the point of holding a convention? Window dressing or you have particular people that you want to be eliminated? Would this mean there is intra-party democracy within DPP? Ntaba you are equally old, please step aside. If you keep old people in key positions in DPP then never retiree civil servants based on their age, they should serve for life. Look Speaker of House of Representatives in the US, Paul Ryan is not seeking a second term and yet he is less than 50 years of age. Why do you want to keep old Gondwe when he cannot remember to zip up his trousers after visiting the toilet?
Callista waponya bomba lomwe azibambo ambiri, amapepala akuluakulu amakanika olo kunyamula kokha. A president @ 80, just imagine how shameful i can be for a country predominantly young. When Austria has just elected a 31 year old as president
Party leaders’ mandate runs from one Elective Conference to the next, and does not necessarily align to the General Elections calendar. Honourable Kasaila, please read the party’s constitution properly. DPP, like any other party, needs to hold its elective conference well before the general/tripartite elections to ensure that its campaign talks to the resolutions and policies adopted at the said elective conference. The electorate needs to know the the quality of DPP’s policies before they vote for the party in May 2019. This is why, Honourable Kasaila, DPP has to elect leaders that will be the faces of DPP; but also to adopt policies to take Malawi forward. It helps with campaign messaging. The closer to the elections you hold the elective conference, the more incoherent the messages are from the party leaders or aspirant MP’s. At this stage DPP doesn’t know who is the Campaign Director is; who the torch bearer/running mate is; who the party executives are. Honourable Kasaila, you may not be the Spokesperson for the Party (and you need to know before you start making noise about next year’s general elections). That is the point bwana. The issue about being anti-APM is a none issue because the public does not elect party’s torch bearers. The public can make any noise they want, but ultimately the choice remains with voting-qualifying DPP members. So don’t listen to the noises. The democratic process with DPP will prevail unless the system intimidates the hell out of these adults to vote a certain way. THE PUBLIC JUST WANT THE RIGHT TORCH BEARER FOR DPP IF IT IS TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF WINNING 2019 TRIPARTITE ELECTIONS.
We are going to be patient for the convention but we are still going to voice out our views on how we want our things to be run in our party DPP. Former first lady stated the debate and this debate will continue to grow until our wish is granted. We need youthful, energetic leaders to spearhead development activities in this country.
THE PROBLEM WITH GROWING OLD. MSAKA, NTABA, DAUSI, GONDWE, CHAPONDA….. CLASSROOM KNOWLEDGE HAS GONE. THEY ARE OPERATING AS AN AUTO-PILOTED PLANE.
Convention
Convention
For what just hand over
Power to BUSHIRI
MALAWI NEEDS COMPLETE OVERHAUL
MALAWI NEEDS NEW LEADERS
MALAWI NEEDS INTELLIGENT VIBRANT LEADERS
These guys want to use Mutharika as a vessel to advance their own ideologies. These are just elephants living in the moon. Pure and real conmen
Age doesn’t matter in leadership, what matters most is the wisdom in the leader. Put this matter to lest it’s god who puts people in leadership position and it’s him also who remove them.