MP Lipipa comes in defense of Mutharika over Nankhumwa purging: ‘Rebels are cancer to DPP’

Firebrand Member of Parliament for Blantyre City South Noel Lipipa has come in strong defense of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader Peter Mutharika for axing Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Kondwani Nankhumwa and others from the party.

Nankhumwa was expelled together with Secretary- General Greselder Jeffrey, Treasurer General Jappie Mhango and Mulanje West lawmaker Yusuf Nthenda for  alleged “gross misconduct.”

In an exclusive interview with Capital FM  monitored by Nyasa Times, Lipipa—who doesn’t hold any seat in the Central Executive Committee—said there was nothing wrong in the decision to fire them, underlining  by challenging the hierarchy of DPP, Nakhumwa and others were dividing the party.

“Nankhumwa was challenging APM [Mutharika] because he is out of government. I wonder if he could have challenged APM if we were still in government. Leaving such people in the party is cancerous; as such, removing them is best decision ever to completely destroy the cancer,” he said.

He added that the challenge with Nankhumwa and others is that they reached a point where they thought they were bigger than the party.

“Look here, we have had a Leader of Opposition from June to September. We never experienced any problem. Nankhumwa himself said in one his interviews that he was holding the position on a temporal basis waiting for our leader to decide. Now because our leader chose someone else, not him, then it’s a problem? No,” said Lipipa.

He further noted that with or without Lipipa, or anyone else, DPP will always remain strong, denying assertions that the party is falling apart.

“DPP is still intact as the party and it’s not even showing signs of falling apart. The problem is that some people in the party think there are bigger than the party and the party can’t survive without them. Never,” he challenged.

“DPP will bounce back in 2025 but the party needs Mutharika, at this moment, because of his political experience and, also, because he finances the party as people do not contribute,” he noted.

The businessperson-cum politician also waxed lyrical about Mutharika, saying he doesn’t see him as an old person but a person with the needed political experience.

“Mutharika should not be seen as old because of his age; rather as someone with the best experience that DPP needs, at the moment, for a smooth succession plan,” he said.

Lipipa also took a controversial stand, saying DPP, as a party, has neither been corrupt nor nepotistic.

“However, there are some public servants, with connection to DPP, who are corrupt and nepotistic and these ones must face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

He revealed that while in office, Mutharika was not aware of corrupt practices that some of the public servants, working with him, were doing in his name.

Asked about his future political steps, Lipipa said during convention, he will not contest for the seat of the President because he is still inexperienced.

“I will contest a higher office that handles finances because he is experienced in this area and, also, to help the party raise funds for its operation,” he said.

Former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika founded DPP in 2005 after ditching the United Democratic Front, the party that sponsored his ticket to State House in the 2004 General Elections.

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