By Cathy Maulidi:
Some opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leaders Thursday had a long day at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe, where the party summoned its four members to a disciplinary hearing.
The four are former party vice president for the Southern Region Kondwani Nankhumwa, former secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey, former director of women Cecilia Chazama and Zomba legislator Mark Botomani.
They are accused of leading and attending a National Governing Council (NGC) meeting in Lilongwe on December 6 2023, with the party leadership saying it had no blessing of party president Peter Mutharika.
Botomani was the first to appear before committee members, who held discussions in camera.
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When he came out of the meeting, he refused to talk to journalists, saying the disciplinary committee stopped him from doing so.
Botomani, who looked unworried and composed, said he is still a member of the DPP and that he would respect the committee’s order by not divulging what happened in the meeting to the media.
“I have been told not to speak to the media about the meeting. The committee chairperson will talk to you when they are done but allow me to say that I am still a DPP and NGC member. I love DPP and I am not leaving the party. I will not leave,” Botomani said.
Chazama, who entered into the disciplinary committee room after Botomani, said she would respect any outcome of the hearing.
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“They summoned us, we came and [as for] the rest, you will hear from the disciplinary committee chairperson but I am still a member of the DPP.
“However, I will accept any outcome of the hearing,” Chazama, who looked calm, said.
Nankhumwa was last to get into the disciplinary committee hearing room and spent a relatively longer time in the meeting than his colleagues.
Nankhumwa, who spent over two hours in the meeting, came out after sunset.
He maintained to the media that he is still a member of the DPP.
“We were just called. They will share with you what has transpired, I’m not commenting on that,” he said.
Asked why he took long in the meeting, Nankhumwa responded in vernacular: “Timacheza.”
Nankhumwa, who looked like he was in a hurry to leave the place, dogged a number of questions from journalists as he continued to say he would make a statement later.
Jeffrey did not appear before the hearing and, according to information we have sourced, she failed to get to Lilongwe on time from her home district of Nkhotakota.
“She will appear before the committee Friday morning,” said the source.
Disciplinary committee chairperson Jean Kalilani refused to share with journalists the outcome of the hearing.
Meanwhile, an insider has told The Daily Times that the disciplinary committee just asked the accused questions and that they would later draft a report, which will be submitted to the party’s central committee.
The central committee will look into the matter and come up with a resolution and verdict.
Apostle Timothy Khoviwa, Charles Mhango, Paul Gadama and Lonnie Chijere Phiri were among members of the committee.
