Malawi: DPP South, Eastern Regions Refuse to Endorse Mutharika Presidential Candidature

13 April 2023
Nyasa Times (Leeds)
By Naomi Mkwanda

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regional offices for the south and eastern region are refusing to endorse Peter Mutharika as party presidential candidate.

This follows similar endorsements by Goodall Gondwe, DPP vice president for the north and his committee as well as Zeria Chakale, DPP vice president for the centre and her regional committee.

Sources in the south end eastern regions of the party said Francis Mphepo, the DPP administrative secretary and an aide to Mutharika, has been putting pressure on the vice president for the south Kondwani Nankhumwa and the vice president for the eastern region Bright Msaka and their respective regional governors to endorse Mutharika as the presidential candidate.

However, our sources said Nankhumwa and Msaka have refused to do so and have not sanctioned their regional committees to meet and discuss the matter.

Both Nankhumwa and Msaka are party presidential candidates.

Mutharika announced soon after he lost the 2020 presidential election to President Dr Lazarus Chakwera that he would be stepping down as party president, forcing senior party members, including Nankhumwa and Msaka, to come out and declare their interests to take over from Mutharika.

However, Mutharika has been playing hide and seek on the issue of stepping down from the party presidential position until last month when it was known he is seeking reelection during the party convention in July this year.

Other party presidential aspirants are Dr. Dalitso Kabambe and Joseph Mwanamvekha.

Read the original article on Nyasa Times.

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