It’s fashionable to ditch one’s party and join the governing People’s Party in Malawi these days. And when the turncoats announce their decision, there's always a chance they will go over the top

MZUZU--Five high profile politicians from the opposition, among them former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Campaign Director Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and the party’s former Regional Governor (North), Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo have announced their defection to the ruling People’s Party (PP).

The others who include Abdul Swank Ibrahim, DPP Regional Treasurer for the north, William Chizaso Chinula, former DPP Regional Executive member and former AFORD Parliamentarian for Mzimba South, Godfrey Zulu, also announced their defection in Mzuzu on Thursday.

Ng’oma said he’d to join PP due to sound policies the party has adopted and good leadership by Pres Joyce Banda.

“I am one of the founders of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and I know the party inside out and its strategies. I know where the party made mistakes to attract condemnation from people in the country and the civil society,” said Ng’oma, observing that the ruling PP has brought unity among Malawians irrespective of their political, regional and party affiliations.

He said since Pres Banda ascended to presidency following the demise of Bingu wa Mutharika in April this year, the country has seen numerous achievements economically and politically.

When asked why he kept changing political parties, Ng’oma said he couldn’t continue working for a political party which had no future.

“You all know I left the DPP party once because I felt I wasn’t comfortable with the party’s ideals and only rejoined the party to protect my interests and my life,” he claimed, saying political dynamics change with time.

He said people wanted development and thought he could serve his new party better, not in politicking.

Former DPP Governor in the North, Frank Mwenefumbo, apologised for all the ‘wrong doings’ he and other DPP leaders orchestrated, especially to PP members and its leaders.

“I was one of the people who castigated PP leaders at a presidential DPP rally in Zomba and also instructed civil servants in the country to stop buying and reading Nation newspapers, but I apologise for all what I did.

“I also personally apologised to the Chief Executive Officer for Nation Publications, Mbumba Banda, who accepted my apology,” he said.

Mwenefumbo commended Pres Banda for accepting, saying she was a forgiving person.

“The president has managed to unite Malawians and turn things around, the country is enjoying good governance and is politically and economically stable,” Mwenefumbo said.

Commenting on the defections, PP’s Deputy Secretary General, Harry Mkandawire, said “for any party to grow it needs new members and by joining PP, it shows the party has good policies.”

He appealed to the party not to discriminate against new members, saying all members should be treated equally.

When PP assumed power, some DPP lawmakers switched the allegiance but some of them have returned, afraid their seats could be declared vacant. As MaraPost reported this week, DPP has vowed to "vigorously purse" the Speaker to invoke Section 65 of the Constituion which bars MPs, elected to parliamanet on a party ticket, from joining another party which is also in parliament.  
----
©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment.