Former president Peter Mutharika has pleaded with three senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members fired from their positions to withhold their court action because the party hopes to resolve the matter internally by Friday.

The three are Northern Region DPP Committee officials, namely youth director Kelvin Chirambo, director of women Joyce Chikukula and regional governor Ackim Mwanza. Chirambo and Chikukula were fired on March 31 2023 while Mwanza was dismissed on December 11 2022.

Has written the expelled
members: Mutharika

The trio engaged lawyer George Kadzipatike who wrote a demand letter on May 5 this year for their reinstatement as they were not given valid reasons for dismissal nor were they given a chance to be heard.

In response to the demand letter, Mutharika, through the party’s director of legal affairs Charles Mhango, pleaded in a letter to Kadzipatike on May 8 that he is working on constituting a special organ to look into the matter, promising a response by Friday, May 12.

Reads the letter in part: “I further refer to the telephonic discussion I had with you this morning in which I informed you that I have passed your letter to His Excellency, the President, who has in return asked me to request you to defer the intended legal suit which you have threatened to commence on May 10 2023.

“The president wants to constitute the relevant organs of the party to deliberate and decide on the way forward on the demand by your clients. I will revert back to you with the final position taken by the Party by close of business on Friday, May 12 2023.”

In an interview yesterday, Kadzipatike confirmed receipt of the letter, indicating that they will give the DPP a chance to deliberate on the matter and provide the response by Friday as requested.

He wondered why the DPP violated its own constitution by replacing Mwanza with Christopher Mzomera Ngwira whom he argued was not eligible to hold any leadership position in the DPP as per the party’s constitution.

Ngwira was convicted on October 16 2020 for misusing public of fice contrary to Section 25B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act. On May 8 last year, High Court of Malawi Judge Chimwemwe Kamowa confirmed the conviction, but reduced the sentence leading to his release.

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