BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-One time powerful Malawi’s politician Brown Mpinganjira popularly known as BJ is believed to be behind escalation of tension in former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), it has been learnt.
Mpinganjira, former legislator for Mulanje central constituency is breeding divisions in the party that he achieves the agenda of ending DPP.
The former National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leader BJ is in verge of finishing powerful politicians in ruling parties.
BJ formed NDA after got out favour form United Democratic Front (UDF) leader Bakili Muluzi to succeed him when third term bid failed.
Mpinganjira vigorously campaigned against Muluzi who picked the late Bingu Wa Mutharika and Cassim Chilumpha but failed to secure the presidential vote in 2004 during general elections.
Eventually, BJ even lost the Parliamentary seat to Nankhumwa that his effort to claim back the constituency has been daunting tasks hence the envy and anger.
In a leaked phone call conversation with UDF senior member Andrew Nkana made available to The Maravi Post on Sunday, September 20, 2020, BJ is heard strategizing on DPP and UDF merger.
In the conservation, Mpinganjira assured UDF leader Atupule Muluzi to be placed on right position while sideling Nankhumwa in the merger.
One of DPP lawmaker who refused to be named told this paper that BJ’s intention is to finish DPP including Nankhumwa politically.
“BJ has ill motive towards DPP and Nankhumwa as a leader of opposition in Parliament. Remember, he disbanded his NDA party, ended UDF, and then conquered Joyce Banda’s Peoples Party (PP) and now he wants to finish DPP as revenge.
“Mpinganjira knows that once Nankhumwa becomes DPP President that will be the end of him. This is the reason even he has convinced ADAD (DPP leader Peter Mutharika) to start campaigning against Nankhumwa. But it won’t work as many of us we are supporting him,” says the lawmaker.
She added, “BJ has even assumed as party spokesperson when all in all DPP constitution there is no such a position only Publicity Secretary exists. Nicholas Dausi is the legitimate DPP’s publicist not BJ”.
Some political commentators have urged Mutharika step down paving away for new blood to take over the party after the shameful defeat during the June 23, presidential elections that witnessed Lazarus Chakwera of Tonse Alliance becoming sixth Malawi President.
Exclusive on how BJ wants to finish Nankhumwa politically
In his dream to have Mulanje Central Constituency back into his fold, ‘Evangelist’ Brown James Mpinganjira is stopping at nothing to have Kondwani Nankhumwa out of politics.
After his attempt to smear Nankhumwa into academic fraud by buying his way into Malawi National Examination Boad (Maned) vault, hit a snag, Mpinganjira has now created a fake Kondwani Nankhumwa death certificate.
Mpinganjira’s paid-up boys have since created an animation of the certificate, Maneb official’s suspension letter a voice of a UTM sympathizer where they are circulating on social media. Mpinganjira was the first multiparty Member of Parliament (MP) for Mulanje Central in 1994 when he was a strongman in United Democratic Front (UDF).
He served for three terms before the youthful Nankhumwa won the seat under the DPP banner in 2009. Nankhumwa has since served in various cabinet portfolios both under the late President Bingu wa Mutharika and the incumbent Peter Mutharika.
According to insiders, since he lost the seat to Nankhumwa, Mpinganjira, popularly known as ‘BJ’, has been paying emissaries to sniff around for what he thinks are skeletons in Nankhumwa’s cupboard with an objective of destroying the political career of the youthful politician.
Machinations
Mpinganjira’s machinations experienced a serious gridlock a few weeks ago when his emissaries, politicians Ephraim Chibvunde (People’s Party vice president), Lawrence Mpofu and Andrew Nkhana, hit a blank wall at the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) apparently in a bid to search for loopholes in Nankhumwa’s academic qualifications, which they never found. They hoodwinked a Mr. C. Mpoya of MANEB that they had been sent by Nankhumwa to “collect” his academic transcripts, which he obliged.
Mpoya gave the three BJ emissaries copies of Nankhumwa’s MSCE and JC.
Sources have revealed that one of the emissaries “has been speaking around” following Mpinganjira’s delays in releasing the K5 million he had allegedly promised to pay them.
“MANEB management got wind that one of theirs officers had divulged personal qualification details of an individual to strangers, without his written consent. MANEB management has since suspended the officer,” said a source at MANEB.
According to the suspension letter seen by dated February 4, 2020, MANEB management says it learnt “with dismay” that Mpoya “had divulged information regarding Nankhumwa’s MSCE and JC qualification to a third party without his consent and without the approval of the Executive Director”.
“This is breach of sections 13.5, 1.15, which is “Divulging any information relating to MANEB to third parties without prior authorization by the Executive Director”, and 16.5, 1.21 which is “Disclosing confidential information to unauthorized people.
“For this reason, you are hereby inform you that you are on suspension with immediate effect. In this regard, you will be called for a disciplinary hearing on a date to be communicated to you,” concludes the letter signed on behalf of the Executive Director by a Mr. C Neba, who is MANEB’s Acting Director of Corporate Services.
Both Mpinganjira and Nankhumwa could not be reached for their comment.
Controversial BJ
BJ is never short of controversy. His name featured highly in the attempted bribery of the five Constitutional Court judges who were hearing the famous presidential election case.
Although the Anti-Corruption-Bureau (ACB) Executive Director Reneck Matemba only named former FDH Chairman Thom Mpinganjira, some allege it was BJ who is the mastermind.
So far the running story is that BJ (the schemer) together with Supreme Court Judge, whose name we have withheld (the facilitator) took money amounting to K500 million from Mpinganjira’s young brother, Thom (the financier), to offer the five judges to rule in favour of the DPP.
According to one political commentator, since BJ joined DPP two years ago, he has succeeded in ascending to the top and now sits at the summit of its internal politics, and also at the centre of some of its serious internal divisions. Within just a few months of joining DPP, he allegedly attempted to convince President Mutharika to anoint his brother, Thom, as his successor when the President retires. But Thom Mpinganjira rejects to join frontline politics as he wants to remain apolitical being a business mogul.
“BJ has maneuvered to become one of DPP’s influential inner circle members at breakneck speed. And that is where things start becoming dangerous for the DPP,” said the commentator, preferring anonymity.
