Mpinganjira drums up PP support in Lomwe belt: ‘Malawi needs Joyce Banda beyond 2014’
Firebrand politician Brown James Mpinganjira, fondly known as BJ, took Mulanje district by storm on Friday when thousands of jubilating ruling People’s Party (PP) supporters gave him a rapturous welcome at his Chisitu base.
Mpinganjira, who has lately taken a low profile following his shocking defeat at the PP elective conference last year, was making a return to his home area in what he described as part of series of rallies he has lined up in a bid to strengthen the ruling party in Lomwe belt.
The Lhomwe belt which covers Thyolo, Chiradzulu, Phalombe and Mulanje is widely regarded as the bedrock of former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
BJ, a former legislator of Mulanje central constituency where he served for 15 years is one of the founding members of PP.
Speaking at the party’s Chisitu offices, Mpinganjira told hundreds that the administration of president Banda is implementing the Economic Recovery Plan (ERP) which was put in place to ease Malawians from hard economic woes.
“My beloved brothers and sisters we have been together from the time of Kamuzu, Bakili, Bingu and now Joyce Banda. We are all old enough to know what the three leaders did in terms of developments. We gave Kamuzu 31 years, Muluzi 10 full years and Bingu did his eight years in office.
“I’m glad to tell you people of Mulanje that among the leaders we have had it is Joyce Banda who has the interest of people here at heart.
“Imagine in less than 6 months into office she initiated the construction of the maternal shelter wing at the district hospital for the sake of our pregnant mothers. This simply demonstrated that the president’s heart is close to the people here,” explained Mpinganjira who was flanked by PP’s southern region campaign director a Mr. Mkwamba.
He also said it is President Banda who came to their rescue with maize relief which he personally has been distributing together with Traditional Authority Chikumbu.
On 2014 polls, Mpinganjira a one-time-star-performing cabinet minister during Bakili Muluzi’s time said it will be primitive and retrogressive to democracy for Malawians to be thinking of political dynasty.
Although he did not mention names, but it was evident from the onset that he was referring to the cases of Peter Mutharika and Atupele Muluzi who both are members from two former ruling families.
“If politics was about members of one or two families ruling this country then by now we would still have had a member from Kamuzu Banda family as president. But the reason some of us championed democracy was because we wanted to diversify the political system so that leaders are chosen on merit,” lamented Mpinganjira.
He added: “As a democrat and as somebody who fought against one party rule I will never sink so low to support any politician who pursues political dynasty agenda. In Malawi today we’re blessed to have Joyce Banda who is one of our own. She knows what poverty and suffering is all about, that’s the leader I will support and I humbly urge all of you to do the same.”
Analysts have observed that the 2014 battle will be very crucial especially if DPP’s Mutharika is allowed to sweep votes in the highly populated Lomwe belt.
During the mass rally, Mpinganjira handed out party materials to 30 area committees comprised of 128 members each.
