Oops!Mutharika’s Kangaroo Court Fires Nankhumwa As Leader of Opposition, Settles For Kasaila

A kangaroo DPP ‘disciplinary committee’ has recommended to DPP leader Peter Mutharika to fire Mulanje Central Legislator Kondwani Nankhumwa, as Leader of Opposition in Parliament, replacing him with Nsanje Central MP Francis Kasaila.

Despite that the Kangaroo Court failed to convene a fortnight ago at Golden Peacock in Lilongwe after Nankhumwa raised a concern that it consisted of people like George Chaponda and Bright Msaka who he said were compromised by virtue of their apparent interest in occupying the position of Leader of Opposition in Parliament and VP South, the committee has already made its judgement.

In a letter to Speaker of Parliament signed by Msaka and the party’s administrative secretary Francis Mphepo, the party has appointed Kasaila with immediate effect and Speaker is expected to announce tomorrow.

“Infact the original idea was to fire him from the party, but it had to take the intervention of Goodall Gondwe to pump some sense in them,” said the source.

Nankhumwa, aged 42, was probably the only one among the DPP former Ministers currently retaining the glitz of being chauffeur-driven in a government vehicle with 24 hour Police protection by virtue of him being Leader of opposition.

This was apparently a bad news for his contenders for the DPP presidency as the position of Leader of Opposition places him further ahead in that race.

The source further disclosed that the players in the scheme to finish off Nankhumwa included Brown Mpinganjira, Chaponda, Msaka, Joseph Mwanamveka, Francis Mphepo and a panel of other old guards who are manipulating Mutharika as their handyman.

Mutharika is serving his last term as President of DPP, and will not be on the ballot at the next election.

“ In fact, he has always been prone to manipulation even during his heydays as President of the Republic as evidenced by some of the bizarre decisions he made, notably the appointment of little-known and illiterate Everton Chimulirenji as his running mate in the May 21, 2019 presidential polls. What is happening in the DPP as highlighted above is practically war for the DPP presidency when APM leaves the stage,” said the source.

Among the contenders for the coveted position include Chaponda, Msaka, Nankhumwa, Joseph Mwanamveka and Uladi Mussa.

Nankhumwa is largely considered within the party and outside as a breath of fresh air and the most active among the four Vice Presidents for the party from the four political regions.

Nankhumwa has so far been consistent in his style of communication, which is always cool, calm and issue-based, something that has made him the rising darling of Malawian politics, and cultivated substantial support for him within the rank and file of the DPP.

Nankhumwa has also been hailed by most parliamentarians from across the political divide as a go-getter, a result-oriented leader who always desires that things get done. Nankhumwa has always been the ‘go-to-man’ on matters of DPP intra-party politics as well as outside of it.

The first point of call is to take away the position of Leader of Opposition from Nankhumwa, and yes they are using the 82-year old APM; the second will probably be to remove him as a contestant at the next convention using the issue of certificate and ‘education background’ to try and make him ineligible for the presidency.

Bitterest BJ

But among Nankhumwa’s adversaries, Brown Mpinganjira is the bitterest. It is apparent he has serious political scores to settle against Nankhumwa following his loss of the Mulanje Central parliamentary seat to the latter.

Nankhumwa has beaten Mpinganjira to the seat twice, in 2009 and 2014. The earlier the better that the old guard realizes that despite his personal and political inadequacies, which everyone has, Nankhumwa embodies the party’s youthful outlook and that he is actually a big plus to the party in its rebuilding efforts.

Nankhumwa is DPP-bred with inside knowledge of the party; an ambitious young man who has proven to be a performer as MP, cabinet minister, Leader of the House, Leader of Opposition in Parliament and party Vice President.

Most importantly, Nankhumwa has been unquestionably loyal to both the late President Bingu wa Mutharika, Peter Mutharika and the larger vision of the party.