In an unexpected twist of events, Kondwani Nankhumwa has declared himself the torch bearer of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the 2025 presidential elections
Speaking to a jam packed Nyambadwe School Ground on Sunday, DPP’s Vice President for Southern region said no one in the DPP can prevail over him in an open elective conference, and come what may he will be on the ballot in the 2025 elections.
‘’Let me reiterate what I said in Lilongwe I will contest at the DPP convention slated for next year and I will win. It doesn’t matter whether the convention will take place in the sky, in the mountain or tree tops I will still win.
“In case you missed what I said last time, I don’t care where the convention will take place: if they will choose Soche mountain or Ndirande hills, lest assured that I will be there and I will emerge victorious,” said Nankhumwa.
Nankhumwa alleged that the Mutharika camp is on a mission removing names of previous delegates from the constituencies and districts deemed to be his sympathizers in order to frustrate his chances of winning at the convention.
Nankhumwa said the Mutharika camp will not succeed in their attempts to subvert the party constitution. He said as per party constitution only delegates that voted in 2018 conventions are the ones that will be allowed to elect office bearers in next years convention.
‘’I know there are some people who are going around in the constituencies removing names of previous delegates suspected to be my supporters with an aim of reducing my chances of winning at the convention but let me assure you that they will not succeed because as the Secretary General has rightly pointed out that only delegates who voted at the 2018 convention are the ones that will be allowed at the next year’s convention. I would like to tell people behind these scheme that they ae just wasting their time,” said Nankhumwa.
Nankhumwa further challenged people who are planning to deny him access into the convention facility that their scheme will not work. Nankhumwa alleged that team Mutharika is planning to employ security men who will block him from going into the venue of the convention but he told the cheering crowd that this plan too will not materialize and it would be the same security men who will grant him entry into the convention.
Said Nankhumwa: “They are planning to deploy bouncers at the entrance of the convention to prevent me from contesting in the election but let me assure you that it is the same men who will grant me access into the convention. Let this not trouble you, we will all be there.”
Some of the names rumoured to be groomed to take over from Mutharika include Bright Msaka, George Chaponda, Dalitso Kabambe and Joseph Mwanamveka although none of them, except Kabambe, has come out to openly declare their interests.