Mia rules out return to frontline politics: I’m busy farming

Former minister Sidik Mia has ruled out a return to frontline politics and cooled off talks linking him to Peoples Party (PP) leadership.

In a telephone interview on Thursday after reports emerged a section of some PP members had put up his name forward for PP leadership, Mia ruled himself out for that role?

“I am in Chikwawa at my farm. I am busy farming and no politics for me,” said Mia,

Asked if he had heard of the reporting that some PP officials would want to persuade him to rejoin the party he ditches when he served it as its vice president, Mia said he is “switched off” to politics.

“ My focus is on my farming business. I am out of touch with politics,” he said.

Mia continued to say that he has been linked with return to politics even with Malawi Congress Party, United Democratic Front and Democratic Progressive Party but that all are “unfounded rumours.”

“I had my time in politics, as of now let me do my business ,” he said.

PP dismiss ‘rumuors’

Meanwhile, PP spokesman Ken Msonda has said the reports linking politicians into the party’s leadership role are “undemocratic line of the thought and rumours “ which he said are being fabricated by their detractors.

He said th ir political competitors want to divert peoples’ attention from numerous economic and social challenges currently affecting Malawi and “the DPP administration’s failure to address these challenges.”

Msonda explained that PP Constitution stipulates that Joyce Banda is the party President till the party holds another convention in 2017.

“Those willing to re-join or joining the party should emulate Rt Hon Hastings Khumbo Kachali political maturity by rejoining or joining the party as members. Those vying for party leadership should wait for the convention in 2017,” said Msonda.