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| National |
| Kamlepo out of Mgwirizano |
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by
Mabvuto Banda, 27 October 2004
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08:53:09
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Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) has become the third party after the Republican Party (RP) and Mgode to quit the Mgwirizano Coalition in the post-election period.
MDP president Kamlepo Kalua said Tuesday his party has decided to pull out because of several reasons ranging from the elections case to why the Mgwirizano allowed Malawi Congress Party to join the case when the same party had decided not join the coalition before the polls.
“We are surprised that the MCP has joined us in the elections case when all along they refused to join in the battle to dethrone the UDF,” Kalua said.
He said that the other reason was because as a party “we think that the elections case won’t serve any purpose. MDP would rather have the President appoint a commission of inquiry to look into what happened and thereafter release its findings for us to see and learn a lesson or two.”
Kalua also claimed his party has been ignored by other parties that managed to get into Parliament and government because of the coalition.
“Whatever seats RP, PPM and Mgode got in the election was as a result of joint effort. MDP sacrificed a lot in joining the coalition but has not been noticed. I don’t blame them,” he said.
Kalua, whose party beat Mutharika’s United Party in the 1994 elections, said that the executive met to also redefine MDP’s role as a political party in the next five years.
The MDP leader, who became popular with marches against the Muluzi administration in the mid nineties, said his party is now focused on fighting for Malawians and warned a return to peaceful demonstrations if Mutharika fails to deliver.
On Tuesday Mgwirizano leader Aleke Banda could not comment on MDP’s decision, saying he has not yet been communicated to.
“I am not aware about that and I can only comment when MDP informs me about their decision,” Banda said.
George Nnesa leader for Mafunde, another coalition partner, also said Tuesday he does not know about MDP’s decision.
“What I can tell you, however, is that what is keeping us is the court case but I can’t comment on MDP’s decision until I get formal communication,” Mnesa said.
The coalition of opposition parties started losing ground when the National Democratic Alliance led by Brown Mpinganjira and MCP’s Tembo decided to pull out weeks before the polls.
The two parties made the decision after they failed to agree on modalities of electing a coalition leader, among other things.
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