Malawi’s ruling party suspends 7 members

Malawi’s ruling People’s Party (PP) has suspended seven officials from the Central Region for three months on charges bordering ‘on conduct likely to confuse party followers.’

PP first deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda on confirmed the suspensions effected on Saturday, but declined to disclose the charges and members involved, arguing it was an internal matter.

Msonda said: “They have not been fired, but suspended. The issues are not for public consumption. We followed all natural justice rules and they were heard before the punishment was meted out. We are trying to bring sanity in the party.”

He said the suspension will run up to December 31 2012 and that the members have the right to appeal if they are not satisfied with the decision.

Msonda said the party will be monitoring the individuals during this period.

But an inside source disclosed that the seven made rude remarks against senior party officials, accusing them of failing to handle the party’s inaugural convention in Blantyre last month.

The source said the suspended officials also alleged that they were not taken care of at the convention in that they did not receive allowances.

Msonda said the suspended officials are from regional, district and constituency levels and they include deputy director for youth.

At the convention, State President Joyce Banda and her Vice-President Khumbo Kachali were elected party’s president and party’s vice-president unopposed, respectively.

PP founders such as Brown Mpinganjira and Clement Stambuli failed to win party positions while most newcomers got some key positions.