Former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Northern Region Committee has asked party president Peter Mutharika bid for the country’s presidency during the 2025 Tripartite Elections.

But a political analyst has described the manoeuvre as a confirmation that there is  lack of intra-party democracy in the party.

Briefing journalists in Lilongwe yesterday, DPP vice-president for the Northern Region Goodall Gondwe led the calls, saying: “Why do we want him to continue? We found out that the more candidates you have, the more divided you are and the only person who can get us [DPP] to continue our unity is APM.

“And, therefore, we think that in order to go into an election united, he must continue to unite us.”

He also said Mutharika, who governed the country from May 2014 to June 2020, initiated “a lot of incomplete projects in the region” and is the “right leader to finalise them”.

On what they will do if Mutharika turns down their call, Gondwe, who served as minister of Finance and other portfolio’s in Mutharika’s Cabinet, said they will settle for another aspirant, though, he may not be as strong as APM.

Gondwe (R) with regional governor Mzomera Ngwira

He added that since Mutharika lost the presidency in the court-sanctioned June 23 2020 fresh presidential election, the country has experienced economic collapse as prices of commodities soar amid rising inflation.

Besides Gondwe, other DPP functionaries at the briefing included treasurer general Jappie Mhango, regional governor Christopher Mzomera Ngwira and former Mzimba Solola legislator Ackim Mwanza. The party’s legal affairs director and former Attorney General Charles Mhango and Sara Nyirenda, the women’s regional wing organising secretary, were also in attendance.

Chipping in, Jappie Mhango said: “Why are we agitating for that? We have known his capabilities. He led this country from 2014 to 2020 and the results are there for all to see

“Indeed, as one of his former Cabinet ministers, I know the type of leader he is. I know his capabilities and skills. We believe that he must hang on for the betterment of the party and the country as a whole.”

But Mzuzu University political analyst Chrispin Mphande has condemned the bloc’s endorsement of Mutharika as against the prescripts of intra-party democracy.

“The convention is a platform to allow people to choose their leaders. But by endorsing outside the convention, it simply means that there is lack of intraparty democracy. Secondly, they are aware of infighting which they are failing to resolve. That is dangerous for our country,” he said.

The political analyst further observed that the move sheds light on the party’s failure to move away from practicing family politics.

Said Mphande: “The other part is that we are still focusing on the founder syndrome. What’s now happening is that some people think that any name other than that of Mutharika cannot take the DPP leadership which is not good.

“The party has to be owned by the people, not a family. What has happened is that as they are going to the convention, they are trying to say they are just going to rubber-stamp the leadership.”

Ever since Mutharika lost the presidency to Lazarus Chakwera, several people have presented themselves as his potential successors in the party.

They include former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Dalitso Kabambe, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa, former minister of Finance Joseph Mwanamvekha and ex-minister of Justice Bright Msaka.

In an exclusive interview in yesterday’s The Nation, Msaka, when asked if he could challenge Mutharika if he seeks re-election, responded: “I have known Professor Mutharika for quite some time now. He’s not a shy person and let’s not put words in his mouth. If he wanted to say this, he would have said it himself.”

Mutharika’s spokesperson Shadric Namalomba had not responded to our questionnaire as we went to press yesterday.

The succession battle has split DPP as cracks came to light after embattled secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey in August 2020 told The Nation that Mutharika had done his part and the party needed a new person to lead it into the future. She called for an early convention

The party later fired Nankhumwa, Jeffrey, Jappie Mhango and Mulanje West legislator Yusuf Nthenda for allegedly defying the leadership. The quartet was reinstated after court battles.

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