BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Another split in the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has reignited political tensions and threatens to hobble the party’s ambitious plans of coming back into government in 2025.
The current spat between DPP’s Vice President for the South, Dr George Chaponda, and the party’s Spokesman Shadrick Namalomba has worsened and exposed a deep rupture between the two senior members of the party.
Chaponda has taken a swipe at Namalomba for encroaching and undermining his authority in his political jurisdiction after Namalomba invited the Regional Governor for the South Charles Mchacha to a press briefing at the party’s Headquarters in Blantyre last week without his blessing.
In his remarks, Chaponda said that Mchacha is no longer the party’s Regional Governor for he displayed disloyalty by dragging the party to court like what Nankhumwa and others did and for this reason, he has been replaced by Thompson Kamangira.
“President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is very angry with Namalomba for inviting Mchacha to the recent press briefing. I have, therefore, been instructed to inform you the regional committee that your regional governor will no longer be Mr Mchacha but Kamangira,” said Chaponda a retired diplomat whose age is 84.
But the pronouncement by Chaponda directly conflicts with Mutharika’s directive against recognising Thom Kamangira as Regional Governor.
Mchacha has declared that he is vying for the DPP Vice Presidency position during the forthcoming convention. This has not gone well with Chaponda who is also chasing the same position.
But so far Mchacha has grassroots support to make him Vice President.
The little-known Kamangira has been described by many as an amateur who could not prevent MCP’s invasion in the Southern region during the campaign period.
