Tembo says Kunkuyu inviting political dogfight: Malawi road to 2014 polls

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president John Tembo has warned Minister of Information, Moses Kunkuyu that he is inviting political dogfight in Dedza South constituency, accusing him of mobilizing, organizing and sponsoring mobilising over 70 chiefs in the area to be making disparaging remarks against him the veteran politician.

Kunkuyu, who is Member of Parliament (MP) for Blantyre South, plans to contest as MP in Dedza south constituency which is currently held by the country’s longest-serving MP and leader of opposition Tembo.

He formally made his bid to challenge Tembo in Dedza South constituency with the launch of his football and netball trophies worth K1 million.

And on Wednesday, over 40 group village headmen from the area gathered at Makota Primary School where they spoke ill of Tembo, saying he should not contest again- accusing him of “old age” and not development conscious.

Group Village headman Chinyamula claimed “all the chiefs here have agreed that Mr Tembo should not represent us, and we are ready to deliver this message once he comes to address a rally here.”

Some of the notable chiefs drumming Tembo’s ouster included Kamenya Gwaza and Kanyenda

Reacting to development, Tembo said Kunkuyu was behind the scheme.

“It is the childish schemes of Moses Kankuyu [Kunkuyu] who is Minister of Information in government,” said Tembo on Zodiak Broadcasting Service.

“I even have evidence to this effect,” he said.

But Tembo said he was not moved by Kunkuyu’s political mechinisations, saying he is opening up to a political dogfight.

Kunkuyu denied organizing chiefs when he spoke on Zodiak.

“I have great respect for honourable Tembo and I cannot sponsor anyone, let alone the chiefs to say anything bad against him. However, I have no power to restrain anyone to speak against anybody, so what the chiefs in Dedza are saying has nothing to do with me. So with or without evidence, this matter is none of my business,” said Kunkuyu.

Kunkuyu claimed that Tembo has not delivered development in Dedza, arguing he has failed to use decades of his stay in politics to uplift the area’s social economic status.

“There are no hospitals and roads are in poor condition resulting into maternal deaths as women can’t access immediate health care at point of delivery,” he said.

Kunkuyu, who hails from the area, said he has already renovated the road from Dedza Boma to Kasumbu and has pledged an ambulance for the area.

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