APM snubs Nankhumwa by proceeding with meeting to oust him as Leader of Opposition

APM presiding over the meeting at his PAGE House in Mangochi

* Nankhumwa wrote APM discouraging him and his party’s Central Committee from proceeding with a meeting scheduled for June 14

* For the sole reason together with Jeffrey; Mhango and Nthenda were not invited despite being members of the Central Committee

* We shall have no option but to commence contempt proceedings against all who are organizing this meeting, including you

By Duncan Mlanjira

Despite beleaguered Democratic Progressive Party vice-president for the South (DPP), Kondwani Nankhumwa seeking legal intervention to stop party president, Arthur Peter Mutharika from hosting a meeting at his PAGE House in Mangochi with his Members of Parliament, the caucus went ahead.

Top of the agenda, of which Nankhumwa wanted the meeting not to take place, was to remove him as the DPP’s Leader of Opposition.

A letter from Nankhumwa’s lawyers, Chidothe, Chidothe, wrote APM on Saturday, June 25 notifying him that he was in contempt of Civil Case No. 898 of 2020, filed by the party’s renegades — Nankhumwa; Grezelder Jeffrey; Jappie Mhango and Yusuf Nthenda.

The lawyers said on June 13, they wrote APM discouraging him and his party’s Central Committee from proceeding with a meeting scheduled for the next day, June 14 for the sole reason that their clients  Nankhumwa; Jeffrey; Mhango and Nthenda were not invited despite being members of the Central Committee.

The lawyers take cognizance that APM still proceeded with the meeting despite being reminded “that it will amount to contempt of Court”.

“To make matters worse, the said meeting was attended by some people who are not members of the said committee by virtue of their positions.”

The lawyers also informed APM that their clients had information that the DPP’s national organizing secretary, Chimwemwe Chipungu had invited the party’s Members of Parliament and other independent legislators to the meeting — which was in progress as of this afternoon at PAGE House in Mangochi.

The lawyers also indicate that there are some “bonafide” MPs and again was not called by Jeffrey as the secretary general.

“You may wish to know, Your Excellency, that Court Orders are supposed to be obeyed at all costs. We are aware that you are aware of the consequences of disobeying a Court Order”

“The reason for writing this letter is to request you for last time that the said court order should be respected and that if the Party continues to disobey it we shall have no option but to commence contempt proceedings against all who are organizing this meeting and those who organized and participated in both meetings, including you, Your Excellency,” said the lawyers.

Just last Thursday, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) issued a statement censuring President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration and it it the civil society organisation bemoaned that the internal leadership stand-off in the high echelons of the DPP is collapsing its role as the main Opposition of the government.

A statement issued by national chairperson, Gift Trapence and his executive committee, said the DPP is being torn apart by internal fights — rendering it too ineffective to provide the necessary checks and balances as well as offer alternative policy options to Tonse Administration’s handling of national issues.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) was also not been spared, saying it has “folded into a briefcase with little or no influence on the country’s national affairs”.

“In this regard, HRDC calls on Malawians to be vigilant in order to ensure that Tonse government lives to people’s expectations in fulfilling its electoral promises,” Trapence said in the statement.

Several attempts have been made by APM to reconcile leadership differences rocking the party, which has its vice-president for the Southern Region, Nankhumwa at the centre of it all.

While some members of the DPP are touting Mutharika to contest for the DPP presidency and run for the state presidency, saying he was eligible having only served one term, Nankhumwa is on the ground to try and unseat him at the next DPP convention.

There are also other party presidency aspirants that include gurus like former Cabinet Minister Joseph Mwanamveka; former Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor, Dalitso Kabambe; Bright Msaka; Paul Gadama and David Mbewe.

At a political rally organised by the DPP’s Central Region executive committee in April — dubbed ‘Blue Saturday @ Mgona’ — the party’s vice-president for the centre, Zelia Chikale emphasized that APM has the constitutional right to stand again as the Head of State.

While assuring that it is up to APM to decide whether he wants to contest again, Chakale asked the huge gathering of DPP members if it was their wish for the former President to rule again — to which she received a resounding vote of confirmation.

She went on to say that anyone wishing to contest for the 2025 presidential race should quit the DPP and form their own party or contest for the party presidency during the DPP’s convention — at which APM will express his intention to retain the leadership.

The DPP’s Regional Governor for the South, Charles Mchacha — who is Member of Parliament for Thyolo West and has in recent weeks made same calls that APM will stand again as Party president as well as contest for the country’s presidency in 2025 race — also reiterated his stand as a vote of confidence from the Southern Region and the rest of the country’s DPP membership.

He had concurred with Chakale that those wishing to contest for the country’s presidency in 2025 race, should quit the DPP and form their own party or to contest against APM for the Party presidency during DPP’s convention.

Chisale’s rally was preceded by that held by the beleaguered DPP vice-president, Nankhumwa which was also organised at the same Mgona venue.

Nankhumwa’s leadership feud with APM has stretched since 2020 that started when his party president tried to strip him of his position as Leader of Opposition — a decision which he challenged in Parliament and was later fired from the party together with fellow renegades — treasurer general, Jappie Mhango; secretary-general Gelzeder Jeffrey and MP for Mulanje West Yusuf Nthenda.

The four challenged the dismissal in court and were later reinstated but the feud still remains — thus HRDC bemoaning that this internal political party impasse that is being deemed to slowly shaking the foundations of the main Opposition party.