By Cathy Maulidi
Following the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s decision to expel its former vice president for the Southern Region Kondwani Nankhumwa, there has been a shakeup in his perceived camp, with some of those that were seen as contemporaries distancing themselves from him.
Among those who have dumped Nankhumwa is Member of Parliament (MP) for Mulanje West Yusuf Nthenda, who was working in Nankhumwa’s legal team when they were fighting court battles.
Others are MP for Mangochi- Monkey Bay Ralph Jooma, who used to be Nankhumwa’s official spokesperson, and lawmaker for Blantyre City South Sameer Suleman, who was working for Nankhumwa’s camp as organising secretary.
Suleman told The Daily Times that he has gone back to Peter Mutharika’s camp to support him and the party and help their cause of winning the September 2025 Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections.
“I went to Nankhumwa’s camp because our president [Peter Mutharika] said he wasn’t contesting in 2025. So, we were looking for someone to work with. Now that he (Mutharika) has declared that he will contest, we thought it wise to go back [to his side] to offer him our support. Our goal is to bring DPP back in government and we need to unite to achieve this goal.
“We also have to be loyal to the party. I don’t know whether you call it camp but I returned to the party to support our president and I should say that the party president has welcomed us back so well,” Suleman said.
Nthenda also said he is no longer in Nankhumwa’s camp, saying he wants to support Mutharika and help him win the presidential election.
“I’m back to the party, DPP I’m no longer with Nankhumwa,” Nthenda said.
In a written response, Jooma, who worked as Nankhumwa’s spokesperson, said he no longer speaks for Nankhumwa.
“I’m no longer his spokesperson. Thank you,” Jooma said.
Nankhumwa appointed him as his spokesperson on December 28 2023.
Information sourced by The Daily Times further indicates that Chiradzulu West MP Mathews Ngwale and MP for Blantyre North Francis Phiso have left the camp.
Another faithful, Mwanza West MP Joyce Chitsulo, has told The Daily Times that she has chosen to go independent in the 2025 parliamentary elections.
“I’m no longer a DPP member. I have also informed my people about this new development. I’m going on an independent ticket in 2025; I don’t need to belong to any party to win. “If President Lazarus Chakwera comes to my constituency to ask me to help him mobilise people for him, I will do that. If Nankhumwa comes and asks for the same, I will also help him but I’m going to the 2025 [parliamentary] election alone as an independent candidate,” Chitsulo said.
Nankhumwa did not pick our calls when we attempted to get his comment on the matter.
But, in his address to Blantyre-based people who demanded to hear from him on Sunday, Nankhumwa said no matter what happens, he will appear on the ballot next year.
Meanwhile, political analyst Ernest Thindwa has said it is not strange that some people are disassociating themselves from Nankhumwa.
“They are calculating their winning chances. It is a calculation [based] on which action or move gives them a chance of winning the position they want, be it that of Member of Parliament or party position. Politicians make calculations,” Thindwa said.
Another good governance expert Wonder Mkutche described this as a critical period that should force Nankhumwa to announce his next move as soon as possible.
“This means that Nankhumwa has to announce his next move as soon as possible to give his supporters a sense of direction. For now, it is difficult for people to follow him as they do not know where he is leading them to,” Mkutche said.
Following his expulsion from the party, the party immediately wrote the Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara, notifying her of the removal of Nankhumwa.
Meanwhile, suspended DPP founding member Uladi Mussa has joined Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Mussa announced his defection to MCP during a development rally which President Lazarus Chakwera organised at Katelera Ground in Salima District.
Mussa was given a nine-month suspension by the DPP some two weeks ago for attending a National Governing Council meeting DPP claimed its leaders did not sanction.
Mussa told the jubilant crowd in Salima that he cannot wait for nine months on the sidelines of politics as if he were pregnant.
According to Mussa, nine months are for those who have conceived and are waiting for time to give birth.
He has since promised to work hard to ensure that MCP remains in power.
