Monday, May 31, 2010

DPP 2014 presidential campaign turns nasty

Professor Peter Mutharika at one of his rallies in his home village of Thyolo East constituency. His popularity is reported to be giving sleepless nights to Vice President Joyce Banda and Speaker Henry Chimunthu Banda.

By Lucy Liponda
Campaign for a successor to incumbent Malawi President Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has gone vicious with some of the aspiring candidates going a mile further to damage the reputation of other rival unconfirmed presidential aspirants.

Our sources have revealed that so far three camps have emerged in the ruling party and these are of incumbent country Vice President Joyce Banda, Speaker of the National Assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda and that of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Peter Mutharika.

Mutharika is a lawyer by training and younger brother to President Bingu wa Mutharika, the other competitor Joyce Banda is a long time women entrepreneurship campaigner whilst Chimunthu Banda is a trained secondary school teacher.

Peter Mutharika has a doctorate degree at international law, Joyce Banda has a first degree in women adolescence and Chimunthu Banda has a diploma in education.

Our informants in the ruling party disclose that the two Bandas though working in isolation are spending all their efforts in fighting the president’s brother who they feel has an upper hand in the competition.

“In fact they feel allowing a clean campaign to take place, they fear Peter Mutharika would walk away victorious,” said our source who is also a member of the ruling DPP’s National Governing Council.

The source disclosed that there was a lot of infighting which has just turned nasty with all sorts of stories being prepared to tarnish the image of the strong candidate, Peter Mutharika.

“You have heard of stories about his American citizenship, you have heard about these allegations of him being homosexual just because he is a widower, you have heard stories of him alleging he holds too much power in both government and the party and there will be a lot more stories to come all targeted at Professor Peter Mutharika,” he said.

Our source disclosed that all these campaigns being propagated by Vice President Joyce Banda and Speaker Henry Chimunthu Banda are aimed at weakening Peter Mutharika who they think can relent the competition.

“There is a lot of underground work being carried out to weaken the young Mutharika but I don’t think this may yield anything at the end of the day because he is such a force to recon with both locally and internationally,” said the source.

A political scientist at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College in Zomba has cautioned the ruling party’s aspiring presidential candidates to resist from conducting a malicious campaign saying the party stands to be the biggest loser at the end of the day.

“It is easier to smear mud on a vehicle but removing it it’s not that easy. The character assassination campaigns being propagated by Chimunthu Banda and Joyce Banda on Professor Peter Mutharika if proven may only play badly for the ruling party in the long run,” said the analyst who pleaded for anonymity.

When contacted for comment, Professor Peter Mutharika said that he is not aspiring for any other position apart from concentrating on his job as Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament for his Thyolo East constituency.

Vice President Joyce Banda’s spokesperson Ruth Govati refused to speak on her bosses political ambitions saying she only responds to issues related to her office as Vice President of the country.

Speaker Henry Chimunthu Banda’s number could not be picked the five times we called his two mobile phone numbers.

DPP Secretary General Binton Kuntsaira said that his office has not sanctioned any campaign for presidential aspiring candidates in the ruling DPP saying 2014 is such a long way to go.

“Nobody is campaigning for the presidency in our party and if there are any then it’s not to my knowledge after all 2014 is too far,” he said.

President Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika’s second 5 year term of office comes to and end in 2014 when he would have finished his constitutionally required 10 years in power-Malawi Digest.

10 comments:

  1. If my discourse analysis and pragmatics is still fresh, you support Peter Mutharika!

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  2. Zikuoneka choncho

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  3. koma journalism pa malawi pano ayi ndithu. ukuonetselatu mbali yako. osangolemba mmene zilili bwanji? nkhondo 2014.

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  4. Its such a joke to think that Joyce Banda or Chimunthu Banda can lead us in 2014. First of all, JB is not leadership material. She may have succeeded in business but not as a politician. She practices divide and rule politics. She demeans her fellow women she deems successful. She likes to be the only one in the spotlight. She also encourages young girls to choose rich men to be going out with. this is immoral and we shud not choose a leader who has no morals. Partly, it is because she snatched her friend's husband herself so she doesn't see anything wrong with that.

    As for Chimunthu Banda, diploma, koma ndiye zoopsa. Nanji chizungu chake chija kusekesa. what donor would listen to such a person

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  5. Now we understand from Nyasatimes that Joyce Banda's son has got himself into the business of campaigning for his mother. Any news please Malawi Digest. We need to hear from you!

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  6. u were just compagning for muntharika winayo by exposing their education and popularity local and international. ngati akugayila ayi ndithu zivuta mtsogolo muno coz amalawi amvotatu. where was he wen all these heros were fighting kamuzu. now these fear facrors hv come to reap what they did not sow.Joice or chimunthu try your lack. a muntharika adali ndi mbeu yotani kuti ana ao alamulire dziko lino ngati ufumu zau silu basi.

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  7. Zabwino zimenezo.Ndani safuna mpando wonona.Inunso alpota yesetsani kulowa nawo mu campaign imeneyi

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  8. Malawi Digest thank you for always providing great news to everyone around the world. Honestly I think it is pretty clear that Honorable Peter Mutharika is next in line. I think our president is stupid and his brother as well for showing too much power right around the time when the party must work together and make Malawi a better place to live.

    Being a part of the Government doesn't mean always fighting to become a president or some leader. Malawian politicians please do what is best for the people, and the country. We will never prosper if we keep trying to hurt others and gain the attention. I think our leaders need to sit down and figure out what malawi is lacking and work on those projects. Things like hospitals, schools, public buildings, police force assistance, and even creating jobs.

    These politicians are fighting now and it is only 4 years till the term ends. This will put our country in trouble. Focus on what needs to be done now and the rest will take care of itself. Peter Mutharika is very stupid!!! He needs to show some class and be the Doctor in law that he is. It is idiots like him and his brother that are ruining that country. Why did Bingu leave Malawi simply because Kamuzu would have grilled him to death. So don't speak now or act like you know what is happening when you are busy getting money from foreign countries and not helping your country. Why not diversify the money through the country and everyone can see your works.

    Malawi my Initials are BPK and I am coming to run in the next presidential elections after 2014. See you all in 2020 it will be the real thing. First order of business when I take over, I will reverse all of the DPP's stupid amendments that are in place and we will do things the right way. I will hire new people to do work and not the old fish that move from party to party.

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  9. Chiza Leonard Mayombo MbekeaniJuly 24, 2010 at 1:34 PM

    A true Democrat will be in the open to give out his or her name on sites like these,

    Am a True Democrat and I truly support the move of our Pro. Peter Mutharika to take over leadership from his brothers term of office expires.

    I for one have good reason why I should support him.

    I remain Royal Citizen Of Malawi

    Chiza Leonard Mayombo Mbekeani

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  10. Inu a DPP, mudzayamba liti democracy? Do you think you will fight for four years without causing division in the party?
    You know what Malawians, I have remembered Lucius Bandas' words in his song "Yahweh" that we are being ruled by the same regime, that's why we don't see no change in the practsing of our politics. Our politics is full of the pre-independence generation, anthu amene akula mu ndale zokhomerelana za MCP. So they see nothing wrong in kukhomelerana, ndi zomwe akula nazo. Komatu mukuzinamiza anthu inu, ine ndimakhala mu grassroot mukunene kuti akufuna Peter mo, but no one wants to see Peter as our next president. A tidye nawo achuluka mu DPP ndiye akumunamiza Bingu. Tionana 2014.

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