Drama as DPP officials clash over judges spat
There was drama at Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) national headquarters in Lilongwe yesterday when some of the party’s senior officials denounced a report attacking the Judiciary only for a national governing council member, Kenneth Msonda, to pop up and claim to have authored it.
The party has since vowed to discipline Msonda for apparently bringing it into disrepute.
The document circulating on social media was allegedly authored by DPP Director of Political Affairs, Baxter Kitta, Msonda and another member Bahart Kishombe. In it, the three are, among other things, giving opinion on the February 3 Constitutional Court judgement.
At the start of a briefing that the party organised, Secretary General Grezelder Jeffrey, Organising Secretary Chimwemwe Chipungu and spokesperson Nicholas Dausi, said the report was “the work of some evil-minded individuals who do not wish the party well”.
The three said the party had engaged experts to find out who authored the document which they claimed has angered the Judiciary.
However, drama started when Msonda popped up in the middle of the briefing and claimed to have authored the document.
Dausi, however, maintained that Msonda and others might have written the document in their personal capacity without any blessings from the party.
“As a party, we want to categorically disassociate ourselves from the document and those that authored it did so in their personal capacity. We will sit down and we will definitely take disciplinary action on the three members,” Dausi said.
Msonda told reporters that the document was his opinion and not that of the party.
“Indeed I have authored the paper and if you want to ask more about the document you can call me. Just like any Malawian, I am entitled to my opinion,” he said.
The authors of the document say they do not recognise the Constitutional Court, describing it as a “makeshift court”. They are also accusing the five judges that heard the presidential election case of being partisan.
