We are not disappointed—Chilima supporters
The core of team of members rooting for Vice-President Saulos Chilima to vie for the country’s presidency in the 2019 elections say they are not disappointed or taken by surprise with Chilima’s decision to quit as a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member.
The sentiments come a day after the Chilima Movement Northern Region chapter pledged to join the Vice-President in leaving DPP.
In separate telephone interviews on Friday, leaders of the Chilima Movement, DPP legislators Noel Masangwi, Bon Kalindo and Allan Ngumuya, and the party’s director of youth Louis Ngalande, said they are ready for a fresh start, but fell short in announcing their quitting of DPP.
Mulanje South parliamentarian Kalindo—one of Chilima’s staunch supporters—blamed the DPP propaganda machinery in trying to bring confusion by coming up with suggestions that the movement will form a new political party.
“We are not part of that. Ours is a movement and that is what we are going to be all the way,” he said.
On Friday, social media was awash with images of party paraphernalia purportedly belonging to a new party christened National Restoration Party (Narep).
But Masangwi categorically denied the movement has dumped DPP and formed a new party.
“We are still discussing on the next move to make and in three weeks Malawians will know how we are going to proceed. Our detractors think we are disappointed. We are not because our plan is still on course. The Veep has made one step and that is very much in line with what we wanted,” he said.
Masangwi said the movement was for a renewal of the country’s political landscape, saying it was out to deal with nepotism in government, abuse of State resources and corruption, including the monopolisation of the State broadcaster.
However, he revealed that a manifesto for the movement was being drafted.
Another DPP legislator Allan Ngumuya said the movement is still very much alive: “Everything is on course and we are making steady progress to ensure that we pave the way for Chilima to stand as a presidential candidate in 2019.
“As for the propaganda that we are seeing from the DPP, it is not going to derail us in any way. Our mission to transform this country,” he said.
Another renowned member of the movement is Mulanje West DPP parliamentarian Patricia Kaliati.
She was not available to comment if she had any plans to leave the party.
Chilima, at a press conference held in Lilongwe on Wednesday, announced that he was leaving the ruling party and will not seek re-election on Peter Mutharika’s ticket.
He also stated that he would not challenge Mutharika at the DPP convention, nor will he attend the convention.
