Political analysts have advised Parliamentarian for Mulanje Central Kondwani Nankhumwa, Grelzeder Wa Jeffrey and others to remain in the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) despite “the hash atmosphere”.
“It is particularly harsh for Nankhumwa; on one hand he can only win a parliamentary seat if he stands on a DPP ticket and on another Mutharika loyalists who now have a leverage following the court determination will find it extremely challenging to accommodate him within the party ranks,” said political scientist Ernest Thindwa.
Thindwa was speaking to The Nation newspaper on Monday, adding that: “forming a new party is certainly not an option for it is not a viable alternative suggesting his ambitions in the political arena hang in the balance.”
Concurring with Thindwa, governance expert George Chains said Nankhumwa and his team have to remain in the party if the really has teeth to bite.
“That proves their popularity and trust which they have been preaching about. They have to campaign rigorously, spreading their wings across the cardinal party membership,” he said.
However, another political analyst Wonderful Mkutche said Nankhumwa, Jeffrey and others are faced with two options: “Join other existing parties or remain in DPP. However, they will not be easily accommodated in other new parties, and in DPP, they will be sidelined as much as possible.”
Nankhumwa and others were removed from their top positions within the party by its leader Peter Mutharika.
They are also waiting determinations of a disciplinary committee to decide their fate for allegedly being part of the December 6 2023 national governing council meeting.
Since its loss in the June 23, 2020, court-sanctioned presidential election, DPP has been caught in infighting that experts have described as not healthy for the party.
The situation has resulted in party divisions.
The bone of contention has been the party’s leadership succession, Kondwani Nankhumwa declaring his intention to compete at the party’s convention.
