Lucius Banda denies joining PP:  Only UDF MP who can’t work with DPP

United  Democratic  Front  (UDF) parliamentarian  for  Balaka  North,  Lucius  Banda  says  he  never  joined  the People’s  Party (PP) in  2012 soon after   Joyce  Banda  became President  of  Malawi  after the  death  of  Bingu wa Mutharika.

Banda , who  has  been vehemently  opposing  UDF ‘s  working relationship with the  ruling  Democratic Progressive  Party (DPP)  told  Capital  Radio  on  Thursday  during  a Straight  Talk  program  that  he  has  always  been  UDF  and  was  only  invited to  join PP  by  its  leader, Joyce  Banda  but  refused.

But  Straight  Talk  host  Rhodes  Nsonkho  reminded   the  UDF  legislator  that he  called him to  inform  him  about  switch to  the  PP which  was  enjoying  massive  popularity then.

However, Banda  changed  his  tune  saying  he was  only  associating  with  PP  because  he  thought  UDF  and  PP  were  going  to merge into one party.

” I did not  join  the  PP.  I only  associated  with it because  UDF  and  PP  were  working  together,” claimed  Banda

Apparently,  during the  said  time Banda  was  not a member  of the  UDF  after  resigning  from  politics  to concentrate  on  his music  career.

Nyasa Times can  confirm  that  Banda had joined  the PP  and  the  story was posted on our news site. He  also  confirmed  the development.

His joining of the PP signalled  his  bouncing back  into  active  politics.

However,  his  attempt  to  stand  on the PP’s  tickets  was  frustrated by former PP member Leonard Ngalande and then rejected  by  chiefs led  by  Group  Village  Head man  Kachenga then who advised  him  to stand  on a UDF  ticket if he was  to  get  their  support.

It is  said  that  when the party held its convetion in 2012 which elected Atupele Muluzi as its president ,Banda  was still  with  PP  and  was only  coopted  as  an ordinary member of the  National  Executive  months  after the convention.

During  the  radio interview, Lucius Banda also known as  Soldier  in the  music  circles  which is  his  main  occupation.  said  he  thinks  it is  high  time  the UDF  party  disengaged from  government  and  concentrated  on rebuilding  the  party.

However,  UDF  spokesperson,  Ken  Ndanga  without  mentioning  Banda  said  any members  of the  UDF  should  avoid  taking  internal  party issues  to the  media  especially  when  they  can  discuss  them   internally.

He said  the  party  is  prepared  to render  it’s ears  to  any member  as long  as  he  follows the  right  procedure  of channelling  such  concerns.

” We are ready  to  listen  to  any   concerns  raised  by  members   but  not  through the  media. Even if  when the  concerns  do not  make  sense  they will be  heard  because  this is  democrac,” said Ndanga.

He however  said  the party becomes  suspicious  when  senior  members  take  issues  to the  media ” vilifying  and undermining the  leadership”, saying “ those who seek equity  must  come with  clean hands “.

He added  that  the  party  led  by  its president  Atupele Austin (AA)  Muluzi has  been  conducting  public  rallies  and  called  all  UDF members  to participate  in  the public  rallies.

Banda  is the  only  UDF  parliamentarian  who refused to  relocate to the  government  side  in the  National  Assembly  when all UDF  members  shifted  last year.

Surprising  the  party  has not  reprimanded  him.

His  political  career  was  threaten  by  his  conviction after  he was  found  guilty of  submitting  a forged Malawi School Certificate of Education to the Electoral  Commission during the 2004 general  election.

 

 

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