NEVER ENDING TUG-OF-WAR: DPP summons Nankhumwa camp, Mchacha to a disciplinary hearing

Cracks continue to widen in the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as the party has reportedly summoned to a disciplinary hearing senior officials who attended National Governing Council Meeting which took place on December 6 at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe.

The meeting, which was not endorsed by party’s president Peter Mutharika, was led by the then DPP’s Secretary General of the Party Grezeldar Jeffrey now party’s vice president responsible for the central region.

Others members who attended the meeting include leader of opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa, Cecelia Chazama who was appointed by the delegates to chair the meeting, Uladi Mussa among other notable faces.

Fast forward, DPP through disciplinary committee has written all the senior members who attended the ‘illegal’ meeting to a disciplinary hearing which will be chaired disciplinary committee chairperson by Dr. Jean Kalilani.

According to a charge sheet which Malawi Voice has seen, the officials are being accused of undermining the authority of  party president and disrespecting leadership of the party which is contrary to  section 6(V) and (ix) of the DPP constitution.

The charge sheet says the Lilongwe NGC meeting was ‘illegal’ since it was not sanctioned by Central Executive Committee as required by the laws governing the party.

The DPP constitution mandates the central committee to set dates for the NGC meeting, call for a convention and determine the agenda for it.

The secretary general is then supposed to consult party leader on the NGC meeting, which then meets and sets dates for the convention.

“The Disciplinary Committee has received a complaint from the Deputy Secretary General John Sangala regarding your conduct in contravention of the Constitution of the Democratic Progressive Party.

“You are hereby given notice of a disciplinary hearing against you to be conducted by the Disciplinary Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party, to be held on January 4, 2024 at Edge Water Court, area 47, Sector 4, Lilongwe,” reads part of the summon

In a related development, the party has also summoned Regional Governor for the South Charles Mchacha to appear before the same committee.

The outspoken Mchacha has been charged for bringing the party into disrepute after taking the party to court where he successfully obtained an injunction stopping the party from recognizing Thom Kamangila as new Governor.

Meanwhile, both Nankhumwa Camp, Mchacha and DPP official are yet to make a public comment on the development.