The erstwhile governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) plans to introduce membership cards to bonafide members, a senior official has confirmed.
The party’s publicity secretary Shadric Namalomba told The Daily Times Tuesday that the move was endorsed at the National Governing Council (NGC) meeting held in Mangochi recently.
He said people that attended the meeting endorsed a proposal by the Functional Review Committee to introduce membership cards to its bonafide members.
“However, the endorsement is subject to approval at the party’s extraordinary conference to be held in December this year.
“Again, the cards will not be mandatory,” Namalomba said.
- Advertisement -
He added that the introduction of party cards is in line with the Political Parties Act, which, he said, mandates political parties to register their members, among other things.
“This will promote the spirit of collective ownership and deal away with individual patronage of the party. The member will be expected to make financial or in-kind contribution to the running of the party,” Namalomba said.
He further said the Central Executive Committee is the one responsible for setting “an appropriate fees structure” for each category of membership.
The party publicist said members at branch level will not be paying the same fees as those at district, region and NGC levels.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
Meanwhile, Mzuzu University historian Chrispine Mphande has said, apart from promoting party ownership among people, the initiative could help raise funds for the party’s operations.
However, Mphande said the idea should be implemented in good faith and should have a blessing of the party’s supporters to avoid dividing the party.
“This will help block a few rich people who end up capturing leadership for personal gain,” Mphande said.
University of Malawi-based political analyst Ernest Thindwa concurred with Mphande, saying the initiative will help the party differentiate its members from mere supporters.
Thindwa said once its members are in the registry, the party will not face problems during elective conferences.
“Other parties should emulate what the DPP wants to do. Parties should be funded by their members and this means, when it comes to involvement in activities, members will be differentiated from supporters, thereby reducing chaos during primary elections or other party elections,” Thindwa said.
But NGC member Nicholus Dausi recently told Times Television that the idea has negative implications and has the potential to destroy the party from the grassroots.
Dausi said there was a need for thorough consultations on the matter.
