Tag Archives: Gladys Ganda

Politics

“DPP has lost democratic values”-Political commentator Dr. Chaima chides party on Ganda sacking

MaraviPost

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The opposition Democratic Progress (DPP) has been rebuked for contravening democratic values with endless infighting by recently firing Gladys Ganda from Director of Elections barely three weeks elective convention put her on the position.

Ganda was removed from the post and resigned to DPP leader Peter Mutharika as an advisor after she praised President Lazarus Chakwera’s development projects in the lowershire.

One of the country’s political commentators Dr. George Chaima has questioned the legality of DPP leadership to fire an elected member during a convention.

Dr. Chaima observes that DPP must abide by democratic values and interparty democracy ahead of next year’s general elections.

“Elective convention gives the power to fire or resign an individual member with reasons. You cant just fire someone because he praised someone for good work. There is no inter-party democracy in DPP.

“As we are going for 2025 general elections, DPP must tread carefully on how to handle internal party politics otherwise, the party might find it difficult to reclaim the country’s leadership next year,” challenges Dr. Chaima.

The opposition DPP held its elective convention on August 18 this year whereby many positions went unopposed while endorsing Mutharika as its torchbearer for 2025 General Elections.

Development, Politics

Desperate Nsanje Lalanje DPP Shadow MP Ganda’s attempts to Abida Mia’s relief food handover ceremony foils

Maravi Post Reporter 1 Comment

Humanitarian function by Abida Mia which Gadys Ganda attempted to disrupt

 

By Nenenji Mlangeni

NSANJE-(MaraviPost)-The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate who failed in the October 17, 2017 Parliamentary By-elections in Nsanje- Lalanje constituency, Gladys Ganda had on Thursday attempted to disrupt the hand over ceremony of relief maize that was brought to Admarc Camp by firebrand charitable politician, Abida Sidik Mia.

 

Ganda who in the by-election had lost to the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Lawrence Sitolo stormed the Admarc Camp with a group of youths clad in DPP clothes and started inviting the flood victims to come to her so she could address them.

 

This happened while Abida Mia was addressing the flood victims.

 

Interestingly, the flood victims started booing her and chanting songs calling her a “failed politician” and “prostitute” who still clings in the home area of her late husband Sam Ganda who was former Member of Parliament for the area.

 

Seeing people booing her and calling her names, Mrs Ganda climbed on top of the car sponsored to her by the DPP and started pleading with the people to come to her.

 

The crowds ignore her and to avoid conflict, Abida Mia moved from where she was addressing the people to where a truck load of maize was packed for the presentantion ceremony.

 

Crowds of flood victims and supporters followed Mia to the truck, singing songs in praise of her family charitable organisation, the Sidik Mia Foundation and for her swift response to assist the flood victims before anybody from government came to assist.

 

However, the handover ceremony of more than 250 bags of maize went on smoothly as Abida Mia along MCP Legislator for area, Lawrence Sitolo and MCP Regional chairperson  for the South, Peter Simbi managed to create smiles on the faces of scores of people affected by floods.

 

Filled with shame, the apparently panicking Ganda sought hiding in her car before speeding off from the camp.

 

On the previous day, officials at the camp complained that Ganda had come to the camp and took away 15 bags of rice meant for flood victims to her house while all flood victims were watching.

 

Therefore, her return to the camp had greatly angered the flood victims as they would not believe the woman who so much needed their votes in the May 21 elections could stoop so low by taking donation of food meant for flood victims for her personal consumption.

 

Meanwhile, Ganda whom the DPP government is supporting to reclaim Nsanje Lalanje in order to continue the legacy of her late husband was given a job in one the parastatals so that she can be compensated for her loss in the October 17 by election after all she had resigned from her well paying job as a banker to try politics.

Efforts  to get Ganda’s reaction on the claimed plot to disturb relief food item distribution proved futile for several attempts as she could not pick her mobile phone.

Politics

October, 2017 by-elections put traditional leaders’ lives in Nsanje Lalanje on threat

Special Absalom

Some traditional leaders in Nsanje Lalanje, one of the area where the October 2017 by-elections will take place, this week revealed threats they are receiving from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and some government officials, especially in the on-going electoral camping.

The development was revealed by on Friday during a political debate for the parliamentary candidates that was organised by the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust at Bangula Primary School ground in the district.

Speaking on condition of anonymity after the debate, some traditional leaders said they are being intimidated by government and DPP officials to stop attending meetings organised by opposition parties, if they don’t want to loose their positions.

The concerned chiefs also revealed that they are instructed to persuade their subjects to vote for the DPP candidate.

“We are being ordered not to welcome opposition candidates if they come to our jurisdictions; and that if we host them the officials would dethrone us,” they said.

While failing to deny or accept the allegation, GVH Anyalandiwo, who represented Traditional Authority (T/A) Mbenje at the event, asked the concerned chiefs to lodge their complaints to their seniors.

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah, who was present at the event, said the Commission has also not received any complaint regarding the issue.

“We want people to vote freely and choose a person of their own choice. Chiefs should not take sides but allow all candidates to campaign freely. As regards the issue, we deal with complaints when they have been lodged but that complaint has not reached us,” she said.

Reacting to the development, government spokesperson, Nicholas Dausi denied the allegations while describing it as incorrect and misleading.

Meanwhile, NICE Trust civic education officer for Nsanje district Kondwani Malunga condemned the reports, saying the development was not in tandem with democratic principles and values.

Nsanje-Lalanje by-election has three contestants namely Gladys Ganda of DPP, Lawrence Sitolo for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Winnie Wakudyanaye standing on an independent ticket.

The constituency fell vacant following the death of the then member of Parliament (MP) Sam Ganda on May 16 2017.