The Northern Region bloc, a group of about 37 members of Parliament (MPs) who endorsed the candidacy of Mzimba North MP Catherine Mzumara (UTM) for the position of First Deputy Speaker, has expressed surprise at the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s decision to opt for another candidate.
The DPP has instead nominated Mulanje Bale MP Victor Musowa for the role.
Speaking on behalf of the bloc yesterday, Karonga Central MP Frank Mwenifumbo said the DPP had previously committed to supporting a candidate from the North for the First Deputy Speaker role.
“The DPP speaker-designate, Hon [Sameer] Suleman, met all of us as a caucus, where he was lobbying for support. We received it wholeheartedly and it was in good faith. It was him who then told us that the DPP had offered us the first deputy speaker [role]. So, it was open ended for us as a caucus to choose who we wanted and we voted,” Mwenifumbo said.
At least four MPs expressed interest in the position and these are Mzumara, Chitipa South MP Faless Moyo, Mzimba Kafukule MP Madalitso Baloyi and Mzimba South MP Emmanuel Chambulanyina Jere.
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Mzumara won by at least 26 votes during the caucus, which was led by Freedom Party president Khumbo Kachali.
Despite this development, Mwenifumbo confirmed that the bloc would maintain its support for Suleman for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly.
When contacted, Mzumara, who is the UTM vice president for the Northern Region, said she could not comment on the issue but declared to “fight to the end of the race”.
In a separate interview, DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba confirmed the party’s official slate: Sameer Suleman for Speaker of Parliament, Victor Musowa for First Deputy Speaker and Esther Jolobala of the United Democratic Front for Second Deputy Speaker.
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“I will not comment much on the issue of the Northern Region bloc; let me just speak on the decision the party has made,” Namalomba said.
The election for the positions is scheduled for October 29, 2025.
So far, Suleman faces Malawi Congress Party’s Peter Dimba, sole MP for the newly-formed People’s Development Party Kondwani Nankhumwa an independent MP for Phalombe Machemba Constituency George Katunga Million.
