Newly appointed Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice president for the Northern Region Jappie Mhango has asked leaders in the region to refrain from acts of violence, saying now is the time for the party to divest itself from being associated with hooliganism.
Mhango stressed the need for the party to rebrand by promoting peace among its followers while respecting its leaders.
He was speaking in Mzuzu Sunday during a regional conference organised to welcome him, having been appointed to the position following the death of veteran politician Goodall Gondwe.
Mhango said castigating and insulting each other both physically and through social media triggers perceptions that DPP is a violent party.
“Just like any other political party, some people are violent and they bring that image to the party. We don’t want people to continue associating the party with violence. I am a peacemaker and I don’t want to hear any case of violence perpetuated by our party members,” Mhango said.
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He also admitted that the party’s visibility diminished in the Northern Region and that the absence of offices to operate from and branded vehicles are some of the contributing factors.
DPP governor for the North Christopher Mzomera Ngwira concurred with Mhango that the party needs “serious rebuilding” ahead of the 2025 tripartite elections.
“We have corrected some few things where some people think we did not do well. People now have trust in us and our president Peter Mutharika.
“What is remaining is to clean all these dents so that we continue moving together with Malawians who are saying we are their only hope,” Ngwira said.
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The conference attracted DPP members of Parliament, national executive committee members and region, district and constituency leaders from the North.
Delegates to the conference also agreed to support Mutharika as the party’s presidential candidate at the 2025 elections.
The former governing party has been sailing in troubled waters from the time it lost the 2020 court-ordered presidential poll which ushered in the Tonse Alliance led by Malawi Congress Party’s Lazarus Chakwera.
