Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Regional Governor in the North, Kenneth Sanga has disclosed plans to contest in the party’s primaries in Mzuzu City constituency.
Sanga said this in a telephone interview in Mzuzu on Wednesday.
“My candidature to contest in Mzuzu is demand-driven. I have been approached by the Committees in the City, having loved the Party through ought. I am one of those staunch supporters of the DPP as well as the President, so I accepted,” said Sanga.
The DPP Regional Governor, however, denied allegations of intimidation and death threats levelled against Him by Maggie Mwanza who is also aspiring for the Mzuzu City Seat on the DPP ticket.
“I am not intimidating anybody. Whoever, wants to contest and if in my view, I find out there is a credible candidate who can contest for the DPP in the City, I will support.
“I am surprised because I know that she wants to contest for Mzuzu City. I don’t understand why she can say that. If she has got evidence, let her report to the Police and let the law take its course. It is very unfortunate that someone can come out and claim that Sanga has done such and such. I do not practice such type of barbaric politics. I always practice very clean politics,” said Sanga.
Meanwhile, Sanga has assured members of the DPP that the party in the Northern Region is ready to conduct primary elections and merely awaiting for communication from the party’s office in Lilongwe.
“All I know is that the when the Secretariat is ready they will make an announcement and we will hold the primaries in remaining areas. But we are ready throughout the Region,” Said Sanga.
This week, it was confirmed that Mbawemi Women Organization, one of the implementers of the 50:50 Campaign in Mzuzu was investigating reports from Mwanza that Sanga had threatened her life for aspiring to contest for the Mzuzu City MP Seat on the DPP vote.
Mwanza came to the spotlight at the launch of the 50:50 Campaign for more women leaders in September when Minister of Labour Youth and Manpower Development, Grace Obama Chiumia asked the people of Mzuzu to vote for only women Councilors and to vote for Mwanza, the female aspirant, as Member of Parliament in Mzuzu City in the 2019 Tripartite Elections.
But on Tuesday, Mwanza alleged that she had encountered various intimidation tactics such as refusal to give her information on party procedures and death threats from the DPP Regional Governor since she started campaigning for support within the party for the Mzuzu City Parliamentary Vote.
Sanga has, however, clarified that the MK 50, 000 fee that Mwanza paid to the DPP is a standard payment made by all female aspirants in the party, countrywide.
“Perhaps she is new in the DPP. Every candidate who will contest primaries, throughout the country; all male candidates will pay MK 100, 000 administrative fee to the party while the female candidates will pay MK 50, 000.
“It is an issue that everybody in the DPP knows. Ask Rosemary Mkandawire or Grace Chiumia. Where will the party get the money to administer primary elections if we do not pay this money,” said Sanga.
