More revelations on UDF cracks
The confusion which is currently in the central region committee of the United Democratic Front (UDF) started last year, according to information The Daily Times has gathered.
Following a story by our sister paper, Malawi News, that some people want to oust UDF President Atupele Muluzi, details have emerged that there are two central regional governors, each claiming to be legitimate: Martin Matabwa and Dinocius Magombo.
Before the divisions, Magombo was Matabwa’s deputy.
Matabwa’s committee has been operating from a rest house in Lilongwe while Magombo’s committee is operating from the party’s offices at Biwi.
Matabwa, in the company of four officials, regional secretary John Maloya, Organising Secretary Modwell Kachina, Campaign Director Lingson Kapininga and Youth Director Friday Missi, on Monday stormed The Daily Times offices in Lilongwe.
“We are behind our party president Honourable Atupele Muluzi. We are happy that he is serving Malawians in cabinet. We don’t subscribe to the idea that the party should get out of the Muluzi family. On the local scene, each party has its own founding leader, and in our case, we cannot say anything bad about [former president] Dr Muluzi,” Matabwa said.
He accused the party’s first vice president, Iqbal Omar of brewing confusing in the party.
“We hear that Hon Omar has been holding meetings in the region. As a governor, I have to know who is conducting meetings in my region.
“Again, the vice president has to move in the region with national executive committee members. If he is moving without any, as is the case at the moment, it means he is forming parallel structures,” Matabwa said.
But when contacted for his reaction, Omar also came to the offices where, accompanied by Magombo questioned the legitimacy of Matabwa’s committee.
Omar dismissed allegations that he is brewing trouble for Muluzi.
“There is nothing like forming parallel structures. I’m still the party’s vice president. I’m trying to strengthen the party so that by 2019 it is strong enough to win elections. The issue at hand is between members of the same family. As a party we will find a way of resolving it,” Omar said.
Magombo however narrated how divisions in the party started.
“After elections, we just discovered that our regional governor, Honourable Matabwa was not coming to our offices. We later learnt that he was holding party meetings at a Rest House at Biwi. Seeing that he was still not coming to our offices, people just appointed me regional governor and we meet at the party offices. We later discovered that some people had been earmarked to take over Honourable Omar’s position,” Magombo said.
Both camps support the presidency of Muluzi and his being in the cabinet of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government.
Magombo camp says it will keep the party alive by holding meetings.
“We don’t blame our president for accepting a cabinet post ,” he said
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues
