DPP VP Nankhumwa says party to ‘stand out’ in 2019 Malawi polls: Gives post-convention interview

In the forthcoming 2019 tripartite elections, governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will “stand out from the crowd and win fair and square” despite a systematic demonization propaganda campaign by its detractors, newly elected party’s vice president for southern region, Kondwani Nankhumwa has said.

Nankhumwa: DPP will be more popular

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Nyasa Times, Nankhumwa admitted that DPP faces growing negative propaganda, which it has to surmount to win in 2019.

“Some journalists, political parties and civil society organization leaders have rolled out a coordinated media strategy that hinges on advancing hatred against DPP and its leadership. The strategy includes a fierce propagation of unsubstantiated corruption allegations against senior DPP leaders,” said Nankhumwa.

He said DPP is, however, “not moved by their falsehoods” and instead, the party has set its eyes on taking Malawi “to the next level of meaningful social and economic development”.

“DPP under President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has implemented various social and economic development projects across the country in the areas of health, transport and communication, education and security, among others. The economy has steadily grown in the past four years despite the absence of budgetary support from our cooperating partners.

“For their selfish political interests, our detractors have deliberately chosen to ignore all these facts and instead spew out falsehoods in their bid to smear DPP reputation. It has not worked, and it will not work. Malawians have eyes and ears to make informed decisions about who should guide them on the path to genuine socio-economic development,” he said.

Nankhumwa could not reveal how the party would ‘surmount’ the alleged ‘coordinated media strategy’.

Commenting on his election as DPP vice presidency for the south at the DPP national, Nankhumwa said as a democratic institution, DPP draws its thrust from the will of the people.

“My guiding principle has always been to do the will of the people; I believe in servant leadership whose essence is to put the needs of others first before yours, or to turn the power pyramid upside down. I therefore presented myself as a servant of the people and one who is ready to serve based on their will,” he said.

Nankhumwa had just turned 40 when he was elected to such a senior position in the party. He told Nyasa Times the DPP has always been a party for everyone; the young and old, women and children. This is the character of the party that they always cherish and cerebrate, he said.

He noted that DPP still retains within its top echelons a good number of older leaders.

“These are people who are vastly experienced because they have been through many political cycles. We will always rely on their wisdom.

“Our national conference helped to balance the power structure in the DPP. We came up with a mix of young people and those that are a little more advanced in age and also to have representatives from all the four political regions within our leadership structure,” said Nankhumwa, adding that as DPP will be drawing from the experience and institutional memory of our elders, it would also be allowing young people to take up challenging leadership roles.

He said Malawi is a young country with young people making up to 64% of the population, constituting the biggest voting bloc in the next election.

“It is important for DPP to reflect this crucial demographic balance in our leadership composition. We have largely been responsive to the requirements of this core constituency and we shall continue to do that,” said Nankhumwa.

Nankhumwa, who is also Minister of Local Government and Rural Development besides being parliamentarian for Mulanje Central and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, said he makes sure that he performs his various “challenging roles to the best of my ability”.

“I do that because I have faith in the vision that President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has for this country. I believe he is the only person right now who is better disposed to lead our party, the DPP, and to take this country to the next level of social and economic development. My loyalty to him and to the DPP is therefore unflinching.

“I will continue to invest my best efforts in ensuring that the President’s vision comes to pass because it will be Malawi as a country, which will win in the end. I believe we can do it; we will certainly do it,” said Nankhumwa.

He said he has always been a hands-on person as a servant of the people, particularly as MP for Mulanje Central.

“The demands of my job as cabinet minister often times require that I travel to other places. I usually call upon the systems that we have developed with my team at the constituency to ensure that the train of development continues pushing.  It is a system that works,” he said.

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Omex70
Omex70
5 years ago

Malotao a DPP. I don’t see any reason why DPP should bevoted back into government. These issues: K140m, Issa Njauju, Robert Chasowa mmmmmmmmm make me doubt if meaningful Malawians can vote for DPP again.

BBC
BBC
5 years ago

Nakhumwa and Nchacha I urge you to go round the Southern region discouraging people from patronizing Chilima’s rallies.
Chilima is showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect to his mentor -APM-who made him what he is today.
.Chilima ndi mwana opanda khalidwe.Has no respect for the elderly and therefore not fit to be a leader.
Nakhumwa and Nchacha you have a big task to convince the south to say NO to Chilima Catholic movement-chipani cha anthu opanda khalidwe.

Nakhumwa, please make sure that this movement finds the door to the south firmly locked!

QueenB
QueenB
5 years ago
Reply to  BBC

Hehehe! Munyebwa ndi speech ya SKC lero

Shambize
Shambize
5 years ago

DPP kuwina? Ndiye Malawi yalodzedwatu.

JOHN
JOHN
5 years ago

I FEEL SORRY FOR YOUNG POLITICIANS LIKE NANKHUMWA. IF YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH BWANA MINISTER, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE IS LOW MORALE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE BECAUSE OF NEPOTISM.

PLEASE APPROACH THIS ISSUE WITH SOBER MIND. FIND PUT FROM OPC AND ANALYSE ALL THE PROMOTIONS THAT MUTHARIKA HAS MADE SINCE ASSUMING OFFICE INCLUDING APPOINTEMENTS INTO THE STATUTORY COMPANIES AS WELL AS EMBASSIES. THEN BRING YOUR FINDINGS HERE!

THERE IS NO WAY THE LHOMWES CAN DEVELOP THIS COUNTRY ALONE! AS FOR ME, I DONT WORK AS I USED TO.

hohodo
hohodo
5 years ago

I wish all the best 2019. may one of them win who contest.

Cadet
5 years ago

145m malizani mudzatifuna for get about wining zitsiru inu ndidakutulukani

kaka ni dada
kaka ni dada
5 years ago

Eti DPP kuwina 2019, awo ndi maloto achumba ache Nakhumwa mwamvaaa! Muyende mupangenso kafukufuku bwinobwino zowona muzipeza. Anyanianthu inu kuba kuli thooo!

hohodo
hohodo
5 years ago
Reply to  kaka ni dada

KKKKKKKK cooldown

Central
Central
5 years ago

Khalidwe la diphiphi ndi kulota nthawi zonse!! Wina analota atatsegula doko ku Nsanje, wina akulota atamanga ma project osiyanasiyana………………………………. ndipo izi ndi zodabwitsa!!

Yes you will stand out becuse you’ll loose with distinction!

hohodo
hohodo
5 years ago
Reply to  Central

how many times hove u said that. since 2009 eti

wodyazake akibe mulandu
wodyazake akibe mulandu
5 years ago

MWABAIBA NOW SAYING THE ECONOMY IS IN GOOD SHAPE ZOOONA

Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
5 years ago

Nankhumwa, you have MBC which has been attacking MCP for the last 4 years. If you have done well, people will reward you, but that is not enough sometimes. If you want to win, address the issues that the opposition say you have failed, they will have nothing to talk about. others wise the competition is stiff and they chances of DPP losing in a fair and free elections are high, unless the results will be massaged again.

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