Uladi claims Joyce Banda wants son’s coronation: ‘Her term as PP president expired’

People’s Party (PP) acting president Uladi Mussa has claimed that his party’s leader Joyce Banda wants his son Roy Kachale to inherit leadership but challenged  a leadership contest at convention.

Mussa said in an interview that Banda, currently in self imposed exile in South Africa since losing the 2014 elections to President Peter Mutharika, is no longer PP president as her tenure expired in August according to party constitution.

He said Banda is avoiding proper succession process and wants  to handover  leadership to his son, a member of parliament for Zomba Malosa.

“I have reports that she is planning to endorse  her son (Roy Kachale) as 2019 PP presidential candidate,” Mussa said.

“But lets meet at the convention and face each other there,” he said.

Mussa is  also accusing JB’s way of running the party whilst outside the country, saying that she is more less like gagging the party politburo in some of her directives.

“There are some meetings which are forced on the party and planned without the party’s knowledge. She could just text me of a meeting and the names of some people to attend even without telling us the agenda.  She always choose when and where a meeting should be held, who should attend and what should be discussed.

“I am afraid we can’t continue running the part as such. We need to have the leadership that is ready to work directly with the people. The party must move on and it much be strengthened as we go towards the 2019 elections,” said Mussa who emphasized that he respects Banda as founder and patron of PP.

“Joyce Banda has just been saying I coming back home but time is running out to prepare 2019 elections. But her mandate has now expired we need to start preparing and am ready to contest,” said Mussa.

Banda’s official spokesman Andekuche Chanthunya, a nephew to her,  declined to comment saying party spokesman was better placed.

However, PP spokesperson Noah Chimpeni accused Mussa of making rush decision on his desire to contest at the party convention before the National Executive Committee (NEC) decides the date of the same.

“As a party we still recognizes JB as the president and Mussa as the one acting on her behalf. She is the one whi is financially assisting the party so until the NEC comes up with the date then he should hold back his desire to contest for the party’s presidency,” he said.

But Mussa said her assistance to the party is always welcome as it is the case with others parties in the country which get assistance from their founders and patrons.

Mussa has been conduction political rallies national wide in a bid to strengthen the party which has seen its top leaders quitting.