Senior political advisor Francis Mphepo, advisor on national unity
Nicholas Dausi and advisor on religious affairs Malani Mtonga recently
participated in controversial and disputed primaries against deputy
information minister John Bande, minister of labour Davis Katsonga, and
deputy gender minister Papano Mwafulirwa in Mwanza Central, Blantyre
City East and Karonga South constituencies, respectively.
Primaries in these constituencies were called off to iron out disputes
of alleged rigging by ministers in Karonga South and Mwanza Central and
by Mphepo in Blantyre City East.
But in a new twist to the controversy, State House sources in Lilongwe
have revealed President Mutharika, well-known as a maverick, summoned
the advisors, including Chief political advisor Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba, a
day before he left for the UN aid summit in Doha, Qatar and declared
that he would not allow them to participate in the primary re-run
before they resigned as advisors.
Apparently, according to the sources, Mutharika favours the cabinet ministers.
Yes, there is a government directive that all aspiring MPs who are
civil servants have to resign from public service to pursue the
political ambitions, but this is an isolated case as the advisors are
more of politicians than civil servants.
The president fears that a continued tussle between the concerned
advisors and cabinet ministers would jeopardize DPP's chances of
winning next year, the sources said.
Meanwhile, at that meeting President Mutharika is reported to have
reprimanded Ntaba for what he said was his underperformance in his DPP
duties, accusing him of abdicating his role in the party to concentrate
on his personal ambitions to reclaim Lilongwe South-east.
The President was angry with Ntaba. It seems he fell short of telling
him that that's why he was removed as DPP Secretary General. The
President actually declared Ntaba would not win in his constituency,
government insiders said.
DPP Secretary General Henry Chimunthu Banda said Mutharika is the head
of the party and could therefore summon any member of the party on any
issue.
He, however, refused to be drawn into this matter, saying he is not aware of such a meeting. Â
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