DPP SG congratulates People’s Party over launch
Newly-appointed secretary general for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Wakuda Kamanga on Thursday made a rare announcement when he said his party congratulates the People’s Party following its recent official launch.
PP, a newly registered political party in Malawi founded and led by state vice president Joyce Banda, was officially launched at Nyambadwe Lions Primary School Lower Ground in Blantyre on Saturday, with Banda making an appeal to government to ensure the respect of human rights, good governance and observance of the rule of law.
Speaking on state television, MBC, Kamanga said the DPP welcomed PP “on the Malawi political” scene, calling its leaders to stop “politicking” but work hand in hand with the DPP administration of President Bingu wa Mutharika.
“PP must stop politicking; we will do that when time for campaign arrives; not now. We will meet during campaign,” said the DPP SG.
Kamanga also accused the PP secretary general Henry Chibwana of encouraging retrogression to “colonialism” when he told Capital Radio in a recent interview that the PP administration would promote direct foreign investment.
The DPP SG said by inviting “whites” to come and do business in Malawi, PP would in fact be depriving Malawians business opportunities. He could not elaborate.
PP national publicity director Stephen Mwenye told Nyasa Times in an interview on Friday the PP appreciates DPP congratulations but said the demand that the PP stops “politicking” until campaign period was misplaced.
Mwenye said the DPP and its leadership are “politicking everyday” and the PP would not sit back when there were a lot of pressing social, economic and political issues affecting the people of Malawi.
“We are a party with clearly laid down policies and vision; all what we do is to articulate such policies and vision as they relate to the people,” he said.
During the official launch of the PP in Blantyre, the first woman state vice president in Malawi defined People’s Party as “a party for the people”, set up on the principle of its leaders being honest and genuine servants of the people.
