The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) this week changed its stand at eleventh hour on the Blue Night saga following the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) decision to drag the Party to court.
According to reports reaching the Maravi Post, parastatals like Lilongwe and Blantyre Water Boards and some councils like Blantyre and Lilongwe city councils donated millions of Kwachas to the DPP recently for the Party’s fundraising dinner, popularly known as Blue Night.
CSOs such as Youth and Society, Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP), Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), and the Human Rights Consultative Committee, asked the DPP to refund the cash within seven days.
Maravi Post established that private lawyers through the Malawi Law Society (MLS), also asked the DPP to return the money “donated” by the parastatals; they argued that the process of receiving such donations, was illegal.
However, the DPP through its Secretary General Gridezer Jeffrey WA Jeffrey and the Party’s Vice President for the central region, Dr. Heatherwick Ntaba, rebuffed the CSOs and MLS, because the concerned parastatals and councils donated the monies on its own will.
“That’s nonsense, we shall not refund the cash, whether someone wants or not. This is because we did not forced the parastatals and councils. Those people that are calling for that, are just wasting their time,” said Jeffrey WA Jeffrey in her first reaction to the call for the return of the money.
After the seven days ultimatum emerged and without the DPP abiding to the call, the CSOs through their lawyer Wesley Mwafulirwa on Monday announced that it will on Tuesday proceed with legal action against the DPP to Mzuzu High Court.
Reacting to the development, the DPP Secretary General asked the CSOs to discuss the matter. According to a letter dated 28 August, 2017 and signed by Jeffrey WA Jeffrey, addressed to the concerned CSOs, the DPP informed the concerned organizations that the Party was ready to negotiate with the CSOs.
Youth and Society Executive Charles Kajoloweka, confirmed to have received a letter of invitation from the DPP to attend the meeting.
Kajoloweka however, said he is to maintain his stand on the matter to have the DPP pay back the money.