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A planned demonstration by a group of UDF parliamentarians to protest against President Bingu wa Mutharika’s “political witch-hunting” following the arrests of top UDF officials, failed to take place on Friday following a disagreement among the MPs.
The MPs were also accusing the President of making unilateral decisions without involving his party.
A Blantyre-based MP who did not want to be named said the legislators did not agree on who will lead the march at secret meetings held in Blantyre.
“The march could not go ahead because most of the MPs did not commit themselves. Nobody is sure of himself, everything was disorganised,” said the MP.
UDF spokesman Humphrey Mvula said his party would not have allowed the march to go on.
“That can never happen and it’s not happening. It’s impossible,” said Mvula.
He had warned earlier on that the MPs face a disciplinary action if they go ahead with the march because the UDF national executive committee did not sanction it.
Mvula said the custodians of the UDF party are members of the central executive committee and that this highest committee is the only one that makes decisions on the party’s actions.
“It’s not something to do with Parliament so why should they react like that? If they want to hold any marches they should do that within Parliament,” said Mvula.
Ntcheu Bwanje North MP Austin Mtukula, who was mentioned as a member of the Fast Track but distanced himself from the grouping last week said MPs who were among “the big fish” under former president Bakili Muluzi’s government and were not included in Mutharika’s cabinet have been mobilising themselves against the President since the budget sitting which ended two weeks ago.
“A lot of people don’t like being backbenchers and they want to cause problems,” said Mtukula.
He said he has been refusing to be part of the caucuses against the President, as he does not want to be associated with the Fast Track.
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