afrol News / The Chronicle, 25 October - Vice President Uladi Mussa of Malawi's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has allegedly challenged his party's and the nation's President, Bingu wa Mutharika over the 2009 presidential candidature of the party by creating a parallel structure that he hopes will support his cause, 'The Chronicle' can reveal. The DPP was created bz President Mutharika himself, following his election.

In retaliation, DPP sources have told 'The Chronicle' that President Mutharika has allegedly given DPP Secretary General Hetherwick Ntaba a mandate to start working against Mussa's faction. In the process a political war has ensued.

"Mussa has come up with his own party structure from area levels, through to the constituency levels and district level right up to the regional level," said the source.

When contacted for comment Mussa, who claimed to have first heard the allegations from The Chronicle, said he was busy in a meeting yet he had furnished the paper with information on a different issue during the interview which lasted five minutes.

In an interview with The Chronicle, Ntaba denied that the DPP was split saying there were no factions in the party.

Sources cited a situation in Ntcheu Bwanje North Constituency where Mussa has earmarked one Lucious Kanyumba to wrestle the seat from the incumbent Marjorie Ngaunje who has also set up a strong fight for her survival and the take-over.

Mussa is also alleged to have started circulating anonymous letters discrediting incumbents in different party positions whom he perceives to be working for Ntaba in readiness for the forthcoming elections for area, constituency, district and regional committees.

One such letter Mussa is allegedly circulating throughout the central region is de-campaigning the sitting regional governor Kaliati Mbewe intimating he is incompetent and not loyal to the President and himself as the party's Vice President, among other weaknesses.

Mussa has however distanced himself from the letter saying it could be some aspirant of the position of the regional governor circulating the letter.

The letter with the headline: "Regional (C) Committee Elections" hails Uladi Mussa as the most loyal party member and one who helped President Mutharika establish his DPP in the central region and throughout the country. On the other hand, it lambasts the sitting regional governor, Kalazi Mbewe, apart from describing him as embarrassing, incompetent, and unaccountable hence, urging the party followers to stand in support of the new committee yet to be established.

"The current Regional Governor does not respect the President and the Vice President. He comes late at the President's and the Vice President's meetings; his speeches at party meetings are empty; he is failing to run the party's regional office and he likes running most of his errands with the regional women alone; he doesn't take care of people invited for party activities at the region; and the money meant for district party leaders is not distributed to them accordingly," reads the letter in part.

It further outlines the manifesto of the committee yet to be established describing it as the strongest ever in as far as politics is concerned.

"The coming committee will among other things embrace and protect the big post of Vice Presidency, which we are lucky to have it here in the central and with Hon. Uladi Mussa occupying it.

"Hon. Uladi Mussa is the one who helped the President establish DPP in the centre and throughout the country. He (Mussa) works with dedication and he is very loyal to the State President Bingu wa Mutharika," reads the two-page letter, adding in conclusion, "This strong committee will pay you a visit soon in your areas. Do not listen to the current regional leaders."

However, Mussa distanced himself from the letter saying Mbewe's rival eying the post in the party's coming regional elections may have authored it.

"Why are you associating me with the letter? It could be some faction or someone competing with him because what I know is that there was a directive that there should be regional elections in the centre and south on a date to be decided by the NGC and the President. Otherwise, as far as I am concerned I am ready to work with anyone elected to fill the post," said Mussa in an interview.

The sitting DPP Regional governor, Kalazi Mbewe, confirmed having seen the letter but he said he was not moved by it.

"I've seen the letter and I am told that it has been circulated to all districts in the central region. But I am not moved at all because people are the better judges. I am, and have always been loyal to the President and the entire hierarchy in the party. But if someone other than the President wants me to be too loyal to him or her as an individual, then I am sorry: that would not be impossible," said Mbewe.

Asked whether he prescribes to the 'Ntaba faction' as highly placed sources claimed is the cause of all this pandemonium, Mbewe declined any knowledge of DPP having any faction under Ntaba.

"I am not aware of any such faction and if it was there I would know about it. However, from the look of things it appears that the Vice President is just afraid of Ntaba and regards his presence as a threat to the Vice presidency. But there's no such faction," said Mbewe in a telephone interview Tuesday.

One of the dailies reported last week of the existing confusion over the position of Kasungu District DPP Governor where supporters of the Uladi Mussa faction roughed up one for Ntaba's grouping while the party's Deputy Spokesperson Zeria Chakale dismissed both camp's claims.

In an interview with The Chronicle two months ago Mussa said he dumped the United Democratic Party (UDF) that sponsored him into power because he was frustrated that the party 'imposed' Cassim Chilumpha as the running mate to Mutharika in the 2004 elections after he was promised the position.

Mutharika announced during the press conference upon his return from Ethiopia that he will contest as the DPP presidential candidate in the 2009 elections. This declaration raised concerns within the party as no such decision had yet been reached by the party as a resolution from elections to be held at a fully constituted DPP convention.


By Gregory Gondwe & Kondwani Magombo

© afrol News / The Chronicle

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories