By Nenenji Mlangeni
MZUZU-(MaraviPos)-Henry Chimunthu Banda, a renowned politician, was a close crony to late Bingu Wa Mutharika, at the time he was the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Chimunthu Banda the Nkhotakakota North Constituency lawmaker therefore made a big name in his political career.
Following the death of then President, Professor Bingu Wa Mutharika in 2012,Chimunthu Banda expressed interest to lead the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), no wonder in 2013 he competed with President Peter Mutharika at a DPP Convention.
Unfortunately, the former speaker never made it.
Since then, President Mutharika has been sidelining Chimunthu Banda in different ways including not appointing him into any political positions; perhaps with an aim of reducing him to a political efulefu.
Fast forward to 2019, rumours were rife that President Mutharika whispered into Chimunthu Banda’s ears to be alert for the running mate position.
This is the reason the Nkhotakakota North Constituency lawmaker announced his plans to bounce back to his political path.
But President Mutharika rescinded his decision and opted for Everton Chimulirenji as running mate.
Wonders refused to end when President Mutharika left Chimunthu Banda in his first cabinet in 2019.
This was despite his victory as a parliamentarian for one of the constituencies in Nkhotakota North.
This trend continued to unpack itself, although Chimunthu Banda is a political heavyweight DPP heavily banked on during Bingu Wa Mutharika’s prime time.
Surprisingly, as the fresh presidential elections are just around the corner, President Mutharika has thought of Chimunthu Banda to be incorporated into the new cabinet (Minister of Natural Resources and Mining).
This is against the background that the former Speaker has been a rejected stone all the way.
Is this not just a ploy to canvass for more votes from the Central Lakeshore areas? Visionary enough of Chimunthu Banda, he has turned down the offer!
A simple question might be: does Mutharika think that Chimunthu Banda is such a myopic and a political mendicant who does not smell danger from a far? Does Peter Mutharika think Chimunthu Banda is a sellout who simply goes about looking for easy gold just like these other political opportunists?
It is high time President Peter Mutharika woke up from his slumber and realised that it is not all and sundry whom he can plug and play politically!
