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| National |
| Mpinganjira only NDA MP |
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by
Mclan Kanyang’wa, 07 July 2004
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09:18:15
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The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) said on Tuesday it will maintain its president Brown Mpinganjira as a sole member of Parliament to rescue the party from political oblivion.
But a political scientist has dismissed the claim, saying the NDA cannot be preserved since it lacks grassroots support.
NDA director of publicity Salule Masangwi, who earlier on Tuesday told a local radio station that his leader was contemplating becoming an independent candidate for fear of his seat being declared vacant, said there can be legal implications if all NDA MPs are going to become independents.
“After looking at the technicalities strategically, for the time being he (Mpinganjira) will be the only MP for the NDA. This is just in case we want to go back to NDA if the merger talks with UDF fail,” he said.
Masangwi said the technical committee working on the modalities of the NDA/UDF merger will be through before the next seating of Parliament scheduled for September.
Political scientist Nixon Khembo said it is difficult to preserve the NDA since the party has disintegrated due to lack of proper leadership.
He added: “The party was not well entrenched and institutionalised contrary to the claims they made before the elections.”
Khembo said it was unfortunate that Mpinganjira has personalised issues of politics and that he is being undemocratic.
“The decision to join the UDF required grassroots consultation but the NDA leader did not hold such consultations,” he said.
MCP second vice president Nicholas Dausi said the claims by NDA are political tantrums, the truth is that the NDA is defunct.
Said he: “You do not go home to create a home. That is just a face saver statement,” he said.
All NDA MPs except Mpinganjira declared themselves independent. The MPs are: John Kampezeni for Neno North; Billy Kaunda for Blantyre City South East; John Joshua Phalombe South; Oliver Masanza for Mulanje Limbuli; Nick Masebo for Chitipa North; House Nyalugwe for Mulanje SouthWest and Inna Mezalumo for Mulanje South.
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