Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Administrative Secretary Francis Mphepo is embroiled in an embarrassing forgery scandal following reports that he forged a letter from the office of the party’s Secretary General in a bid to secure Bangwe Desert Ground in Blantyre for a political rally.
Francis Mphepo
The forged letter was sent to Blantyre City Council asking permission to use the ground but the Council turned down the request after noting that the United Democratic Front (UDF) had already booked the same ground on the same day.
Ironically UDF is said to be in a partnership with the former ruling party.
Mphepo’s letter which had no blessings from both the Secretary General Grezeder Jeffrey and the Southern Region President Kondwani Nankhumwa. Was asking the City Council to allow Dr George Chaponda to hold the rally in Bangwe.
“It is total forgery because the letter was headed ‘From the Office of the Secretary General’ yet the SG was not involved. Ordinarily, such rallies are requested by the SG who is like the CEO of the party and being in the south the Regional President was also supposed to be notified of the rally,” said a source from within the party.
Writing on a Facebook post one of the party’s vocal supporters Greyson Chapita writing under the name Che J Grey also expressed his concern on the behaviour of Mphepo.
Chapita also expressed concern that the Administrative Secretary submitted the letter while the UDF had already booked the same venue and paid for it.
“Colleagues, when we have been saying that political issues require a little speed, this is what we have been talking about. Let us let the Mphepos retire, they have done their part, 2022 politics is not for people like him,” said Chapita.
He added: “Now when we talk of 2025 that DPP should forget it, with such type of people are we lying? Have I insulted APM (Arthur Peter Mutharika) here? But that issue of forgery don’t let it go.”
Since losing the 2020 presidential elections, the DPP has been locked in intra-party conflicts that have seen the once mighty political entity split into two faction-one supporting Nankhumwa while the other is supporting the come back of the former State President Mutharika.
Again, there has been a new faction which is supporting Bright Msaka who also recently indicated that he is interested to represent the party in 2025. Msaka is believed to be supported by Mutharika’s wife Gertrude who initially was gunning for Dr Dalitso Kabambe a nephew of the former president.
During the 2020 elections the DPP partnered with the UDF in a failed bid to get back to State House. However, their partnership is shaky after UDF President Atupele Muluzi announced that he is stepping aside with Lilian Patel taking over the mantle.
Patel has already sent strong signs that she is not interested in the UDF/DPP marriage hinting that the new party leadership would want to go it alone.
