Former cabinet minister George Chaponda has explained his eleventh hour withdrawal from contesting for the position of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice president for Southern Region.
Chaponda announced his withdrawal at the commencement of polls at the party’s convention on Monday, a development which surprised many delegates at the indaba.
However, speaking with this reporter, Chaponda said people should neither get worried nor be surprised with his withdrawal.
The former minister of agriculture, irrigation and water development said his withdrawal was a matter of reflecting on other things which include peace in the ruling party.
He said he thought it wasn’t good enough for him to compete with Local Government Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa since they both come from Mulanje.
“In the course of campaign, I reflected on a number of issues. Firstly I reflected that we need unity in the party and we should not promote divisive attendances.
“I thought that allowing myself to compete with Honorable Kondwani Nankhumwa who is my next door neighbor in Mulanje Central and Mulanje West will not look well in the interest of unity of the party,” Chaponda told Malawi24.
He then thanked President Peter Mutharika for appointing him as vice president for the south in 2014.
Chaponda revealed that he wants an advisory position in the party.
Meanwhile, Nankhumwa has won DPP’s southern region vice presidency by 772 votes beating Henry Mussa who got 401 votes and Joseph Mwanamvekha who got 407 whereas in the central region, Uladi Mussa has won central region vice presidency.
Uladi got 954 votes beating Dean Josiah Banda who got 298 votes, Zelia Chakale who got 149 votes, Hetherwick Ntaba who got 94 votes and Samuel Tembenu who got 91 votes.
Chaponda should not cheat the Malawi nation on the reasons for his withdrawal. The reasons would be true if he aired them out days before the indaba.
The reason, and I stress; one good reason, is clear. As names were announced, how people reacted surely showed who people wanted to elect. When his nme was announced, people did not ululet. Even Dausi wondered why. Dausi asked ” Aaaa bwanji simukuomba mmanja”. When Nankhumwa’ name was announced, there was a big noise of applouse. And lastly when the third contester was announced there was also an applouse but less as compaired to that of Nankhumwa’s. That gesture from people gave Chaponda an indication that if he insisted contesting against Nankhumwa, he would get very shamefull results in the end.
Chaponda should not tell us a lie in his remarks backing up his withdrawal. Whether or not the court proved him innocent, people lost trust in him.
Kholowa mkabula ,no wonder you hide your name,you are ashamed yourself of your silly comments (nyau style)
Bro your court didn’t prove him okuba. Please delete your message. You luck knowledge of mature person
Congratulations George
Man be honest sukanawina iwe chaponda chimanga. Mbili yako ndiyachabe,yakuba. Its only your president pitala who could vote for you! Koma dziko lapansi abale nkhalamba ngati iyi kumakhala mbava hahahahaha, Dr George wakuba chimanga chaponda. Wakwiba uyu buya hahahaha Dokotala okuba chimanga kkkkkkk Doctrate Degree yobela chimanga asaaa imeneyi oxford ????
to me he is the biggest winner out the convention,he has exhibited a rare character which we so much sought after in our politicians.Doing everything possible for the sake of unity n peace puts Chaponda in other echelons, the likes Mandela,Obama,Mama Theresa etc,as much as he is is not interested in leading then we the pple are now interested in him leading us,we don’t want pple who impose themselves on us but we have to impose them on us.Well done hon Chaponda your score rate is 80/100,we will be following you very keenly now