Uladi Mussa’s appointment stirs conflicts in PP

The decision by Malawi ex-president Joyce Banda to appoint Uladi Mussa as acting president of the former ruling People’s Party (PP) has not pleased followers of the party from the northern region who have since described the appointment as absurd.

The supporters told Malawi24 on Friday that the decision will kill the party in the northern region where it is believed that most people are its diehards.

Most of them said that Banda has entirely betrayed their trust.

Random interviews with some area chairmen across the northern region proved that most of people are still supporting a suggestion by the fired provincial chairperson for the region, Christopher Nzomera Ngwira, that in the absence of Banda, Khumbo Kachali is the right man to be the acting president.

“The decision lacks basic justification and it has shown that our president has a spirit of regionalism. Everybody in the country remember well that this party was cofounded by her and Kachali thus in her absence, most of us thought she would leave the power to him. It’s very unfortunate,” said Cliff Nthakomwa, acting provincial secretary for the north.

He went on to maintain that Mussa may not help the party because of his poor background in leadership as evidenced by how he failed to run his Maravi People’s party. He then said that many followers of the party from the northern region are frustrated with the promotion.

“Many of us are not in support of this and we still support Nzomera Ngwira who to us has not been fired as provincial chair for PP here,” he added.

On New Year’s Eve, the former president, who is on a self-imposed exile in South Africa, appointed Mussa to act as the president of the party and the development was confirmed by the party publicist Ken Msonda who applauded Banda for the appointment.

He said: “It pleased our beloved party founder madam Joyce Banda to appoint honourable Uladi Mussa to lead the party in her absence. We believe with his appointment he will help to continue the good work our madam started.”

In confirming his appointment on Friday to this paper, Mussa expressed happiness for being trusted by Banda to lead the party and was quick to promise that under his leadership, he will make sure the party maintains its strength.

 

When asked to comment on how he will manage to restore unity in the party as regards the current divisions, Mussa said : “This is not the time for us to be divided but instead, we must work together to maintain the strength of our party. We understand there are many things we have to do thus splitting will not help this time.”

He emphatically said that he will make sure the two blocks are united.

Meanwhile some commentators have said that Banda’s decision to appoint Mussa is a clear sign that she is not ready to come back to Malawi anytime soon despite several calls for her return by suspects in the ongoing cashgate cases.