The Peoples Party spokesperson ever the optimist, Keneth Msonda continues to downplay mass exodus hitting the party, which he describes as a mere ‘pruning season’. A pruning that will prune all the branches and eventually lead to the trunk less tree to wither and die.
The Peoples Party led by a self-exiled leader and founder Joyce Banda has lost key leaders since being humiliated in the May 2014 Tripartite Elections.
Among the key figures are vice presidents for the South and Central Brown Mpinganjira and Cassim Chilumpha, respectively, Joyce Banda’s running mate Sosten Gwengwe, former cabinet minister Eunice Makangala and recently, deputy spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu and Deputy Director of social service Tony Ngalande
Said Msonda: “PP is going through a pruning season. Some branches will be falling off while the fresh and strong sprout. When the tree is pruning it does mean that it is falling-it is just giving room for new branches to germinate.
“Those who are leaving the party have neither committed any wrong nor broken any law. They are simply exercising their freedom of association. Much as we would have loved to be with then but they are going. The migration of any family member, be it a saint or sinner is regrettable. So we can only wish them well.”
PP founder Joyce Banda has been living in self-imposed exile since losing the state presidency.
Meanwhile some quarters have attributed the mass exodus to the loss of confidence in Joyce Banda’s leadership and unexplainable absence from the country.
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