Former DPP official attacks Peter Mutharika
Ruling Democratic Progress Party (DPP) former National Deputy Director of Women Martha Chimpozo Kamanga has defected to the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), claiming DPP is in troubled waters because leaders close to President Peter Mutharika feed him with lies.
Kamanga, who was Patricia Kaliati’s deputy, dumped the party on Sunday and defected to MCP, saying the ruling party leadership lacks, love, trust and team work.
She was speaking at a press conference in Mzuzu when the MCP regional committee for the North welcomed her into the party.
Kamanga, who was voted into her position at a DPP convention last year, claimed that her boss Kaliati, the party’s National Executive Committee and regional committee members for the North sidelined her in many activities and, as such, she never performed her duties as expected.
“I want to tell Malawians that from today, I am no longer DPP as many people used to know. I have now joined Malawi Congress Party. I know people will get surprised that I have moved from ruling party to the opposition MCP. I want peace of mind.
“I was in a prison. There is no peace in DPP. Some party leaders are suffering in silence. There is no love, no trust and no teamwork. I see the party going into a pit and flop in 2019 elections. The party leadership has gone astray and [Lazarus] Chakwera and the MCP are the only hope for Malawians,” said Kamanga.
She added: “Every person is doing his or her own business to win favours from President Peter Mutharika. Leaders who are close to him keep on cheating the President as if things are okay at the grassroots. I was one of the party leaders who were suffering in silence but I have failed to resist. I have to reveal for the sake of Malawians who wish this country well.
“I was left in a corner and my position was just on paper. Many party leaders, who are not close to the President, have no future in politics because they are just kept in a corner. What kind of politics is that?” questioned Kamanga.
She further claimed that the regional committee for the North is divided into two camps one of which is headed by vice-president Goodall Gondwe, Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education Jappie Mhango and Regional Governor Kenneth Sanga while the other camp comprises Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Grace Chiumia, Presidential Adviser on Youth Affairs Nick Masebo and Symon Vuwa Kaunda.
But DPP spokesperson Francis Kasaila said Kamanga is entitled to any opinion on any political matters and is free to join any political party she wants.
He, however, said the party leaders obey the President and work to strengthen its grassroots in all regions.
Kasaila said the party is intact in the Northern Region without any division as claimed by Kamanga.
“Yes, we had some problems in the Northern Region committee but that did not affect our party performance because in the last tripartite elections and recent by elections, we did well compared to the MCP which she has joined. Despite negative reporting about our party in the region, we are still a strong national party,” he said.
Commenting on the two DPP camps in the Northern Region, Regional Governor Kenneth Sanga said: “I believe she is assuming that Honourable Grace Chiumia is formulating parallel structures in the region. Let her explain well on that so that we can follow up. But what I know is that we have one regional committee for all party members in the region.”
Speaking when MCP received Kamanga into its fold, Northern Region Director of Youth, Gracious Soko, said the defection of such big politicians from a ruling party to MCP symbolizes that Malawians are tired of bad policies of the DPP administration.
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