By Mercy Makuwira
Blantyre, January 26, Mana: Three hundred and fifty Malawi Congress Party (MCP) members from Chikwawa on Saturday defected to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP.
The MCP members defected to the DPP at a development rally addressed by Vice-President Everton Chimulirenji at Nsenjere Primary School in the area of Paramount Chief Lundu in the district.
The jovial looking Chimulirenji welcomed the new members saying they had now become part of the DPP family.
“My father once told me of a tale of a rolling stone that gathers no moss. We welcome you with open arms as you have now become part of the large DPP family; do not become rolling stones, be focused.
“Do not consider yourselves as strangers; rather work as a unit with the old family members in making sure the party grows each and every day,” Chimulirenji said.
He congratulated them on their decision describing it as the best choice as the DPP was and will remain in power for a long time.
“No sane person will defect from the ruling party to an opposition party where he or she will have to work for a long time so that the party is elected into power.
“Here you are, you are in a winning team,” Chimulirenji said.
Chimulirenji took time to ask old members of the party to welcome the new members into different party structures.
Speaking earlier Paramount Chief Lundu welcomed the Vice-President describing the Shire Valley as one of the strongholds of the party due to the various developmental programmes the DPP-led government has implemented in the area.
“Please, I would like to ask you to tell the President to come and hold a series of rallies here in the lower Shire so that he sees for himself how people love him,” Lundu said.
Mana/mmm/djm/mcm
