Mwamondwe, Etta Banda, Shawa dump DPP to join PP: Malawi road to 2014
Barely 24 hours after outspoken Rev. Christopher Mzomera Ngwira joined the ruling People’s Party (PP), three more northern region based Democratic People’s Party (DPP) political heavyweights have defected to the ruling party.
Former ruling DPP’s executive member Green Mwamondwe, deputy secretary general Prof. Ettah Banda and Member of Parliament (MP) for Mzimba South East Rabson Chihaula Shawa announced their defection Monday at Chitipa Boma during the official opening of the much awaited Karonga-Chitipa Road by President Mrs Joyce Banda.
Presenting the trio to Banda, PP’s Second Deputy Secretary General Frank Mwenefumbo, said soon after Mzimba Hora MP Rev. Ngwira was officially received in the party on Sunday, the party’s secretariat started receiving several telephone calls from members of various political parties declaring their interest to join the ruling party.
An excited Mwamondwe who served as Deputy High Commissioner to Zimbabwe during the reign of late President Bingu wa Mutharika said he was extremely happy to be welcomed in the ruling party.
“I’m extremely happy to be welcomed in the PP. I promise that I’ll be patriotic to my country and loyal to the President and the party,” he said attracting applause from thousands of people that attended the function.
Mwamondwe then urged the people not listen to Consumer Association of Malawi (CAMA’s) Executive Director John Kapito call’s to demonstrate against government. He said there is no bad governance in Malawi at the moment as claimed by Kapito.
“I have served in Zimbabwe as Malawi’s envoy and I have been to several other countries. I know what bad governance is,” he said.
He added that President Banda is being praised by even outsiders for turning around Malawi’s ailing economy during the short period she has been in power.
CAMA led by Kapito has organised mass protests on January 17 aimed at protesting what the group says are the sharp rise in the cost of living, the high inflation rate and uncontrolled fuel pricing.
However, many quarters are against the organised demonstrations saying the group should engage in a dialogue with government.
Prof. Banda (former foreign affairs minister) and Shawa assured the President that they have joined the party wholeheartedly, and that their constituents are supporting the ruling PP.
President Banda thanked the trio for joining the party and urged them to work hard to build the party. She said the three were not new to her as she had worked with them before.
Mwamondwe is also a former Alliance for Democracy (Aford) MP for Karonga North West Constituency while Prof. Banda is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs in the DPP led government.
