Ex-PP chief whip Jooma drums up support for Mutharika, DPP

Mangochi Monkey Bay legislator Ralph Jooma (People’s Party—PP) who recently resigned as party’s Chief Whip has realigned himself politically by drumming support for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and President Peter Mutharika ahead of next year’s elections.

Since Jooma’s resignation, there has been  fevered speculation that he is being earmarked for a Cabinet post in President Peter Mutharika’s Cabinet.

Mutharika is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet and Jooma is one of the politicians  set to be considered for a post.

Jooma previously served in Cabinet of former president Joyce Banda as Minister of Economic Planning and Development.

He recently met President Mutharika for talks with former PP parliamentary leader Uladi Musa, who has also realigned himself to the governing party after he was also promised to be awarded with a ministerial position.

And speaking during a whistle-stop  political campaign meeting President Mutharika had in Mangochi,  Jooma as  well as  member of Parliament (MP) for Mangochi West, Geoffrey Chiwondo pledged support towards Mutharika and the DPP government.

In the their respective speeches the two parliamentarians hailed the country’s leadership through Mutharika for sparing time to interact with people who had lined up by the road side.

DPP’s Eastern Region, Governor Julius Paipi, said the two legislators were now working with the DPP, people in the Eastern Region were appreciative of what the Mutharika administration was doing especially in the area of infrastructural development.

Paipi, therefore, assured Mutharika that the region would continue to rally behind the DPP to continue benefitting from the fruits of development, which he said, were uplifting people’s living standards.

“Would you please consider coming back to Mangochi very soon for a mass rally, people are very eager to have you address a public meeting here,” Paipi appealed.

Mutharika arrived in Monkey Bay, Mangochi on December 23 for Christmas and New Year Holiday.

The President had whistle-stop on his way back to Sanjika Palace.