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DPP clique emerges ahead of convention

As the countdown to the July 1-3 2018 Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) elective convention continues, some senior party members have joined forces to campaign for each other.

A member who spoke on condition of anonymity after the meeting said they had assembled a team, called Team A, that would help President Peter Mutharika run the party through to 2024.

Some ministerial vehicles leaving the meeting place early

Said the member: “We were only telling the delegates the truth, that we are a team that has been with the people, and we want to continue being with them.”

According to the member, Team A comprises candidates that took their manifestos to 312 Northern Region delegates that gathered at DPP regional headquarters in Mzuzu on Sunday. The team included Minister of Transport and Public Works  Jappie Mhango, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi and DPP secretary general Greselder Jeffrey.

Local Government and Rural Development Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa, Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Cecilia Chazama and DPP director of operations Ben Phiri are also said to be in the team, but did not make it to Mzuzu.

Other senior members in the team are James Chuma, Mary Navitcha and Khwauli Msiska, according to the member.

Mhango is vying for the position of treasurer general, Msaka wants to maintain his position as vice-president for Eastern Region, Dausi wants to get back his position as spokesperson for the party while Jeffrey wants a fresh mandate as secretary general.

On the other hand, Nankhumwa is campaigning to become vice-president for the South while Phiri wants to become director of elections.

Speaking to the delegates, Mhango said there was need to elect people who will help the party.

On his part, DPP regional governor for the North Kenneth Sanga said he had no problem with Team A.

He told the delegates: “I know all these people that are here [Team A].  I tell you that I have no problems with these people. If there was a bad apple, I could have told you.”

As Sanga spoke, some delegates could be heard murmuring that some ministers were in the region to spend their time in hotels instead of meeting party members.

Ironically, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development  Joseph Mwanamvekha and his Trade and Industry counterpart Henry Mussa, who donated K2.5 million and K3 million respectively to the meeting, spoke briefly and left before Team A members arrived. The two are vying for the party vice-presidency for the South and will face Team A’s Nankhumwa.

Others who left early were Clement Mwale who will be competing against Jeffrey, and Kenneth Msonda who will tussle against Dausi for the position of DPP publicist.

Convention chairperson Dausi urged his committee to ensure that the delegates travel to Blantyre safely.

Team A donated K8.5 million to the meeting, whose total donations were K20 505 000. After getting transport reimbursements, delegates shared the remaining K17 208 000, at the rate of K55 330 each.

Sanga, who was also a delegate, did not get any money.

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