Mhone to strengthen PP in Parliament – analyst

Chancellor College based political scientist Dr Mustafa Hussein has said the appointment of lawyer Ralph Mhone as People’s Party (PP) leader in Parliament to replace Uladi Mussa is a good move for the party.

Speaking in an exclusive with Malawi24 from Norway, Hussein said the coming in of NkhataBay Central Member of Parliament Mhone is the beginning of the party to be strong in Parliament ahead of 2019 elections.

“Honourable Mhone has come as a solution in view of what Honorable Uladi did like declaring the expiry of the mandate of the party president. Probably it is the hope that this would strengthen the party in Parliament,” Dr Hussein told Malawi24 from Oslo, Norway.

Hussein however noted that the absence of the party president Dr Joyce Banda will still act as a pull down for the party outside Parliament.

“I think as long as the president of the party is outside not much will change. The people in positions will continue seek the president’s guidance on issues to do with party,” Dr Hussein told Malawi24.
But he said using his legal skills, Mhone is capable of making PP a promising party in Parliament
“The party is bigger than an individual. The strength of the party lies in its unity and the membership. Honorable Mhone will lead in Parliament not outside. However using that platform and as a lawyer he may use his legal experience to contribute to strengthen the party towards the 2019 elections which will be good for multiparty and People’s Party,” Hussein said.

Mhone will be deputised by Agness Makonda Nyalonje, MP for Mzimba North.
PP national executive committee (NEC) fired Salima South MP Mussa as People’s Party (PP) vice president and leader in Parliament last month.

Uladi was fired after he claimed that party founder Joyce Banda’s term as PP president had expired in August.