PP feud: Chipi Mpinganjira accused of causing infighting in Blantyre city central
Chipiliro Mpinganjira, son to Information and Civic Education Minister and People’s Party (PP) senior member, Brown James Mpingajira, has sparked controversy in squatter township of Ndirande for allegedly creating parallel ward and constituency committees in Blantyre City Central Constituency.
Sitting parliamentarian for the area is former labour minister and PP National Executive Committee (NEC) member Eunice Makangala.
Some PP supporters from the area have since condemned young Mpinganjira for causing internal strife in the constituency.
According to the supporters, Mpinganjira started creating the parallel committees barely few days after Makangala was dropped as Minister of Labour by President Joyce Banda, who is also the founder of the ruling party.
The sources said Mpinganjira connived with some PP leaders in the constituency to come up with new committees that would largely support him prior and after primary election let alone snatch the seat from Makangala.
Mpinganjira, who is second deputy legal director in PP, a position he was elected into at the party’s convention last year and principal assistant Administrator General in civil service, has been conducting meetings in Blantyre City Central Constituency, promising more developments if they allow him to contest for the area in the forthcoming elections.
Former Labour Minister has little to show in as far as developing the constituency is concerned since she became parliamentarian for the area in 2009.
“The conduct of Chipiliro Mpinganjira will destabilize the party here in Ndirande. Instead of just involving and working with the committee which was there, he has established other committees to gunner support for him ahead of primary elections,” said of the supporters, who asked for anonymity.
They also claimed that Makangala has been stopped from using the party’s vehicle and other campaign materials, observing that this will bring confusion among PP supporters.
But when contacted, Mpinganjira, while describing the claims as untrue, aimed at damaging his character ahead of the elections, confessed that the party “has indeed drafted new names in the ward and constituency committees in order to level the playing field.”
He also stressed that the onus is still on the constituents to choose the candidate who will always advance their interest, regardless of their political affiliation, among others.
On her part, Makangala hailed Mpinganjira for joining the fray as this will give the constituents more choices.
Makangala also described allegations that she has been ordered to stop using the party’s vehicle as untrue, claiming that she has never used any PP vehicle since she became the MP for the area.
The former minister challenged that she will retain the seat, come 2014 tripartite elections with great ease.
“I am not disturbed with what is happening in my constituency. I am also happy that he has decided to challenge me; but he has chosen the wrong path and he will just deplete his financial muscle in vain,” said Makangala.
PP is yet to conduct primary elections for its parliamentary candidates ahead of next year’s elections.
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