PP face further popularity decline as Mzuzu Mayor quits
The former governing People’s Party (PP) continues to face further popularity decline after Mzuzu Mayor William Mkandawire announced his resignation from the party under whose banner he was re-elected two months ago.
The party’s Administrative Secretary Joseph Chikwemba said they were not officially aware that Mkandawire had called it quits.
The youthful Mayor cited his burning desire to concentrate on developing Malawi’s third largest city without being bound to party politics as the main reason for his dumping PP.
“I have made up my mind and I want to serve the people of Mzuzu. We need to work on roads, bridges, markets and various development projects. So, this is not time for politics,” Mkandawire told a local newspaper.
The People’s Party, which is led by former President Joyce Banda, has recently suffered high-profile defections. National Women’s Director and former cabinet minister, Mary Clara Makungwa, Publicity and Administrative Secretary Ken Msonda and Bintony Kutsaira are some of the recent PP defectors. They have since joined the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
According to analysts, the wave of defections may be as a result of the long absence from Malawi of its leader Joyce Banda. She has been outside Malawi for over two years now.
The PP, which has a thin-razor membership in Parliament, is likely to seek partnership with other opposition political parties in future national elections because of its fast waning popularity and its absent leader if it has to return into government.
A social media commentator, James Matete told Nyasa Times in an interview that Mkandawire’s must not be must not be taken lightly by the party as there are many disillusioned members who are ready to join vibrant parties with intact leadership.
“Since the May 2014 tripartite elections, the political landscape has opposition MCP, while the DPP has been working tirelessly to hold on to power despite Malawians’ discontent over the worsening economic situation.
“The PP on the other hand continues to flit-around in the political doldrums; the party’s disconnect with its members has reached appalling levels. Their leader deserted them and the party is struggling to keep pace with the political heartbeat of the country,” observed Matete.
He said that it is not late for the PP to embark on a serious soul-searching initiative to establish where things are getting wrong to suffer such high-profile defections.
The PP must work out a clear roadmap for the party ahead of the next elections because as it is the case now, the PP hangs by a thread in as far as its political survival is concerned.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
The comments on this issue are very stupid.
The mayor is telling you clearly, that he has quit PP because every time he tries to do something developmental for Mzuzu, his party PP has been stopping him.
Let the man do for his City what is good for the City not what is good for party. PP wants DPP to fail, and by so doing Mzuzu is failing.
If any of you people who have commented so far are from Mzuzu, you are fools.
Another power hungry shit!
OMG Mayor kutuwa chonchi?
Kodi ku Mzuzuko mumadya chani?
Useless Mayor. This is the end of you. Khanundu plus Kachasu ni Bokoharam
Malawi is another hell in the politics circle.Politians are fools who just want to use us as their resources of gain power and other benefits.Hence in west Africa the Army used to execute all politians who were greedy and pompus.Politics has derailed Malawi.No tangible development has been done in our country.What they know is to steal.Malawi is divided on regionalism politics.We are on the survival of fittest and these greedy politians are the fittest.Why dump the party which put into power,Useless man.Bullshit.
pipo elected u bcoz u r pp member kma momwe wachokera apapa basi iwe watha ,u wl ask me if u wl win 2019
when is time for polittics? And when did you realize this? This is a silly excuse. We have the president who is a politician and his agenda is to develop Malawi. And we have mayors in all cities who are politicians and what do you want to tell us? The problem is that you think were are as stupid as you are.
Usakhale atakunyengerera ndi bans ya blue Vuwa Kaunda iwe. Make sure you remain independent, otherwise you will dig your own grave if you join the party of thieves.