Huge Rift In DPP Emerges

BY: DRAXON MALOYA

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) meeting held at former president, Peter Mutharika’s residence in Mangoihi (Page House) had elected Mulanje Pasani legislator, George Chaponda as new Leader of Opposition.

Confirming the news, party spokesperson, Shaddreck Namalomba says Chaponda is now LoP while Nkhata-Bay central parliamentarian, Symon Vuwa Kaunda is now the New Chief Whip.

“Victor Musowa is now our leader of backbenchers deputised by Victoria Kingston,” confirmed Namalomba.

However, one of the Democratic Progressive Party senior members, Mark Botomani says Kondwani Nankhumwa is still  Leader of the Opposition, subduing aside from the Page House declaration that George Chaponda has taken over from him.

This publication tried to get hold of Nankhumwa but he could not pick up calls despite numerous efforts to get his side of the story.

But reacting to the development, a senior member of the party who is the legislator for Zomba Chisi, Mark Botomani invalidated the Page House declaration saying Nankhumwa and other Members of Parliament were not invited as such the meeting was not a caucus as stipulated by the party’s standing orders.

‘’I am told the meeting had only 25 members of Parliament against the total number of 72, as such that was not a caucus,”

“I spoke to Nankhumwa and he confirmed to me he never got an invitation from the party secretariat, the party’s president only invited those that he wanted to be part of the said meeting,” said Botomani.