MP Ngumuya cautions DPP on 2019 elections: ‘MCP may be handed victory’

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member of Parliament for Blantyre City South Allan Ngumuya has become the second ruling party’s  legislator to back  former first lady Callista Mutharika who openly spoke about leadership change  in favour of Vice-President Saulos Chilima to represent the party in next year’s elections and let President Peter Mutharika retire.

Ngumuya said DPP and President Mutharika should tread carefully on the matter as it is giving main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) a leeway to be the party to win next elections due next year.

“If President Mutharika insists that he should be the DPP presidential candidate in 2019, then the Malawi Congress Party will have a walk over in the election,” said Ngumuya.

His decision to come open on the matter comes barely days after Bon Kalindo , another DPP legislator backed the Chilima-for-President crusade.

“The President told me two years ago that he would not seek a second term, he said he would leave the mantle to the youth, God is my witness,” said Ngumuya.

He suspected those who surround Mutharika, accused of running the affairs of the country on behalf of the 79 year old leader, are the ones forcing him to cling to power for personal gains.

“The current President has done his part, we are now looking forward to Chilima to rule the country, he is young and vibrant, he will make decisions on his own,” said Ngumuya.

Calls for the ‘Number Two’  to take up the presidency comes at a time when reports say Mutharika wants to drop Chilima as running mate for Education minister Bright Msaka, whom the president recently appointed
vice president of the party and represented the President at the funeral of South Africa’s former First Lady and political activism icon, Winnie Mandela.

The issue, ignited by Former First Lady Callista Mutharika, has sharply divided the party.

Callista Mutharika, widow of former president Bingu wa Mutharika and sister-in-law to Peter Mutharika, argued that  she is airing her views to protect her in-law President Peter Mutharika from ‘beasts of prey’ who have surrounded the Malawi leader and messing his administration.

Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi said  those opinions cannot divide the party.