PP governor M’balaka attacks Ministers: ‘They are out to frustrate JB’
Outspoken ruling People’s Party (PP) governor Ali M’balaka has attacked some of the MPs and cabinet ministers of not helping President Mrs. Joyce Banda to build the party in their respective constituencies.
M’balaka was speaking at Lauderdale school ground at the weekend in Mulanje south constituency.
The meeting followed an earlier request by parliamentarian for the area Richie Muheya, a cabinet minister, who reportedly asked the ruling party’s regional committee to visit his area in a bid to solve the crisis in the party’s local committees.
It is reported that the ex-DPP committee that defected together with Muheya to the ruling party felt dissatisfied with the idea of working under the leadership of PP in the constituency. This, according to reports, brought political discord in the area and two parallel factions subsequently emerged.
Attack
Speaking to the crowds that gathered after holding another meeting in camera with the disfranchised members, M’balaka took a swipe at the entire cabinet and lawmakers that defected to PP saying since their joining the ruling party is yet to benefit from them on the ground.
“Imagine I’m here today to clean up the mess which would have been avoided in one way or the other. I’m very much disheartened with the altitude of so called government MPs and cabinet ministers , they have done nothing in their areas to build the PP,” observed a visibly angry M’balaka amid ululation from the women.
The provincial chairperson added that the legislators and ministers only become visible when there is presidential function accusing them of practising patronage politics.
He therefore deplored the tendency saying it is killing the party.
In a post rally interview, M’balaka told Nyasa Times that the ineffective parliamentarians are making his job of setting up structures in all the 54 constituencies of the southern region very difficult, saying the party will have to avoid featuring “dead wood” in the next elections to avoid losing many seats.
“We accepted the MPs from DPP and other parties on assumption that they really wanted to help us to strengthen the party but I can assure you that since their joining there is little progress on the ground and that is making our work difficult, the problem is that if we go into their territory they would take it as if we’re campaigning against them that’s why I expected them to do the ground work themselves to make it easier for us,” added M’balaka who last week was in same district meeting chiefs to discuss soaring security breakdown.
Blast
Meanwhile, M’balaka has also blasted Local Government minister Grace Maseko for giving District Commissioners powers to maintain DPP sympathizers in Village Development Committees (VDCs).
Maseko was quoted by Nation on Sunday as defending DCs that are refusing to dissolve VDCs on the premise that it is not PP’s territory.
But reacting to minister Maseko’s orders, M’balaka cautioned her that he will not allow PP members be told what to do by any opposition party especially when it comes to development projects.
“I think the minister is out of her mind. Let me warn her that as a ruling party we will be in charge of each and every committee across the country whether she likes or not.
“That is why I said some ministers are sabotaging the President because it is common practice for the VDCs to be run by members of the ruling party that has been the norm since the dawn of democracy, why must it change now?
“ Let me also ask all our members wherever they are they should not allow any DPP member to take charge of those committees, I will not rest until all the VDCs in the country are dissolved and filled by PP supporters,” declared M’balaka.
The VDCs are crucial for projects like ‘food for work’ and subsidy coupons where the former ruling DPP used the committees to advance its political agenda by ensuring that only its members benefit from the government initiatives.
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