Mutharika hires consultants for DPP rebuilding as Msaka’s functional review misses deadline

Former president Peter Mutharika will hire consultants  to work with  Functional Review Committee appointed last month who will assess the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)  strength nationwide before setting a date for the convention, party spokesperson Brown Mpinganjira has said.

The review committee, headed by DPP vice-president (Eastern Region) Bright Msaka, was expected to present the report to the party’s working committee on October 30 2020 but failed to do so.

Speaking in Mangochi where DPP district governors from the Southern Region met Mutharika to pledge their allegiance, Mpinganjira said the party will have to wait a bit longer before holding its convention.

According to Mpinganjira, the consultants will from next week Wednesday go on the ground to carry out their work.

“The work begins next week Wednesday to meet all party structures and we will advertise in the newspapers so that people should follow what is happening in DPP family,” said Mpinganjira.

He said the consultants  will report  to the party leadership on structure review of the party and recommendations  which will enable DPP to call for an elective convention.

“We still have time to go before the convention takes place,” said Mpinganjira.

He said the party want to have “an excellent convention.”

Meanwhile, Mutharika with Mpinganjira and DPP organising secretary Chimwemwe Chipungu, administrative secretary Francis Mphepo, Samuel Tembenu and Joseph Mwanamvekha met the governors  to whip up support for the party.

Chiradzulu DPP district governor Mapeya Kaliwo  said the governors were behind Mutharika and their meeting was to “re-affirm our support and loyalty.”

All governors received blue envelopes containing cash handouts.

DPP is facing  a string of resignations, squabbles and convictions.

Recently, the  party’s central committee fired  its Southern Region  vice-president Kondwani Nankhumwa, secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey, treasurer general Jappie Mhango and Mulanje West legislator Yusuf Nthenda.

Nankhumwa, who was replaced as vice-president (South) by Mwanamvekha , together with Jeffrey, obtained a court injunction restraining their removal.

For the past three months, the party has lost its vice-president (Central Region) Uladi Mussa and its regional governor (North) Christopher Mzomera Ngwira, who were convicted and sent to jail for abuse of office.

The party has also lost some members of Parliament (MPs) such as Susan Dossi (Chikwawa West), who joined UTM, while Eurita Ntiza Valera (Nsanje South West), John Bande (Blantyre City East), Ken Ndovie (Karonga Nyungwe), Tony Ngalande (Balaka North) and Salim Bagus (Chikwawa Central) have all defected to Malawi Congress Party (MCP). The MPs won their seats as independents before joining the DPP.