Ndirande-Malabada DPP constituents seek Mutharika intervention
Disgruntled opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members from the country’s populous Ndirande Malabada constituency who were left in the cold by their legislator Aaron Sangala, now with ruling People’s Party (PP), have asked their interim leader Peter Mutharika to be a stand-in representative of the area until new polls are held in 2014.
The group led by newly elected constituency governor Alexious Chikopa told Nyasa Times in an interview on Sunday that they have chosen Mutharika because he is resident in the constituency. The DPP 2014 standard bearer is a resident of Nyambadwe suburb.
New committee
Chikopa who was flanked by a new look constituency committee including new campaign director Joward Mpinga, Jones Nyaka, Malizani Nankhumwa and Texas Whayo told Nyasa Timesthat the other reason they want him to be their stand-in MP is because of the fact that within the four months Mutharika has been at the helm of the DPP, the party has regrouped and is rebuilding.
“First of all after Sangala left we regrouped and elected a new committee, it is at one of our meetings as a committee that we agreed to ask our leader Prof. Mutharika to be our representative up to 2014. We have chosen him because he is one of our own, he stays in this very same constituency and apart from that he is matured politician.
“By virtue of this decision it means he will be the one to represent the interests of Malabada constituents both in and outside parliament. This also means that whosoever wants to stand on DPP ticket come 2014 they have to go through Peter,” explained Chikopa.
Taskforce
Asked on whether the newly elected committee has already made its case known to Mutharika, Chikopa said a task force, which he said include traditional and religious leaders, has already been put in place and would soon have an audience with the former foreign affairs minister.
Meanwhile, the committee said the departure of Sangala to ruling PP is good riddance to the DPP, saying he was not in touch with the electorate.
Mutharika’s aide and right hand man Ben Phiri said the committee has not yet approached his boss over the issue.
However, he was quick to point out that “Mutharika’s doors are open and whenever the committee is ready I will arrange for them to meet him and it will be up to the Professor to make a decision.”
Sangala came under fire from irate constituents led by flamboyant chief Makata who protested to the Blantyre district commissioner’s office accusing him of neglecting the area and misappropriating funds meant for projects in the constituency.
He left the DPP for PP soon after the death of former president late Bingu wa Mutharika.
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