Estranged People’s Party (PP) former acting president Uladi Mussa on Tuesday went to town accusing the party’s self-exiled president Joyce Banda of grooming his son Roy Kachale for the leadership of the party.
Mussa told Nation Online that his dismissal and that of Ralph Jooma from the party was a deliberate move to pave way for the elevation of Kachale into the presidency of the party.
Kachale who is Zomba-Malosa member of Parliament (MP) yesterday replaced Jooma as PP vice president for the Eastern Region while Kasungu North MP Beatrice Mwale replaced Mussa as vice president for the Central Region.
Mussa further accused Banda of influencing all decisions of the party including the firing of the two, adding that the National Executive Committee (NEC) was forced to fire him to enable her achieve her plans which he himself (Mussa) has been opposing for long.
“Joyce Banda is grooming her son Roy Kachale to take over the presidency of the party ahead of the 2019 tripartite elections. This dismissal did not come as a surprise, I saw this coming because I have always opposed to that idea. I have accepted my fate and will soon announce my next move,” said Mussa.
However, PP through publicity secretary Noah Chimpeni brushed aside Mussa’s allegation advising him to learn to say the truth.
On the other hand, former president Joyce Banda’s spokesperson Andekuche Chanthunya explained that Mussa and Jooma were fired for continuously bringing confusion in the party by claiming that PP was in a coalition with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), a thing which the party’s NEC knew nothing about.
Chanthunya concurred with Chimpeni that Mussa was not being honest.
“Everybody knows that the real reason for Mussa and Jooma’s firing is the fact that they were bringing confusion in the party by continuously claiming that it was in alliance with DPP. Even President Mutharika has been saying that his party only approached selected individuals for a possible parliamentary coalition. The two parties have never discussed that at NEC level,” said Chanthunya.
Chanthunya further said it was unfair to claim that the former president dictates decisions in the party saying all decisions are made and agreed at the NEC level.
Reacting to the accusation, Kachale said he was not aware that he was being groomed to take over the PP leadership.
“I am not aware that I am being groomed. Maybe the one alleging that will be in better position to explain that,” he said.
Asked whether he is harbouring any ambition to become the next PP president, Kachale said “not in the near future, no!!”.
Both Chimpeni and Chanthunya explained that everything regarding who will contest as president on PP ticket come 2019 will be decided at the party’s convention which will be held when funds are available.
The NEC meeting on Monday also resolved that the party will inform the speaker of Parliament about any of its MP deemed to be supporting DPP so that he acts accordingly and section 65 (of the Constitution which regulates crossing of the floor) should apply.
Mussa’s dismissal means that PP has no leader in the absence of president Joyce Banda who has been outside the country since losing the May 20, 2014 Tripartite Elections and according to Chimpeni, the party does not recognise the post of acting president.
