Dust of confusion refuses to settle in the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party as the Peter Mutharika faction has rubbished the recently-constituted shadow cabinet by Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Kondwani Nankhumwa.
A letter issued on Sunday by the party’s administrative secretary, Francis Mphepo, says the DPP does not recognize the membership in the shadow cabinet and the process used in constituting it.
“The DPP leadership was not consulted in the appointment of the said shadow cabinet and those appointed in the said shadow cabinet have no authority whatsoever to speak on behalf of the party in the National Assembly,” reads part of the statement.
It goes further to cast doubt on whether a shadow cabinet is necessary in the current political dispensation.
“The DPP believes that a shadow cabinet serves no purpose in a Hybrid Government System of Presidential and Parliamentary System practiced in Malawi.”
Despite the party hiding the main reasons behind such a move, Malawians have already concluded that this is an extension of the ongoing power squabbles in the party pitting former leader Mutharika against Nankhumwa.
The Leader of Opposition has openly challenged Mutharika on his intention to handpick his successor, Dalitso Kabambe, which he says is against the party’s constitution.
Previously, the DPP has also challenged all decisions that Nankhumwa has made in Parliament.
Interestingly DPP’s main partner, United Democratic Front, has also distanced themselves from the shadow cabinet though it has included some of its members.
Writing on his Facebook profile days ago, UDF leader Atupele Muluzi displeasure for not being consulted in the selection of the shadow cabinet.
Physical and verbal fights have become a consistent feature since they lost power in 2020. The bone of contention has been on when a convention should be held.
The Nankhumwa camp has been opting for an early emergency convention to iron out the leadership issue while Mutharika insists that the party will go to a convention in 2023 to elect not only his successor but the party’s torchbearer at the 2025 Presidential election.