By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza
As the political parties in the country have intensified efforts towards forming electoral alliances in the run up to the September, 16 tripartite elections, it has emerged that the Democratic Progressive Party( DPP) and the United Democratic Front(UDF) electoral alliance talks have collapsed.
Speaking to journalists in Blantyre on Tuesday after the certificates awarding ceremony for DPP aspirants and seating members of parliament and ward councillors for the southern region, member of the DPP alliance talks commitee, Sammer Suleman confirmed that the talks have failed.
Suleman disclosed that the UDF leader, Atupele Muluzi clinging to his own proposal to be the torch bearer for the alliance.
” We have been rejecting him this proposal, looking at his leadership and other capabilities.
” I remember his father Dr Bakili Muluzi even called me to ask why we have been rejecting this offer,” alledged Suleman
According to Suleman, the development has prompted Atupele Muluzi to join other political party leaders who have solicited money from undisclosed political party to disturb voters in the southern and eastern regions.
” We know all this syndicate and we have concrete evidence that all of them got MK5 billion each for the exercise,” Suleman said.
The member of parliament for Blantyre city east said his committee thought that it have been better for DPP to get into the electoral alliance with UTM or other political party, looking at the followers and capabilities.
” Currently, we have intensified our electoral alliance talks with other political parties and soon we shall announce who we will go to the elections with,” he said
Speaking earlier, DPP vice president for the southern region, Joseph Mwanamveka, claimed that the majority of the UDF executive committee and other members were in agreement with the electoral alliance except for the few leaders such as Atupele Muluzi.
Commenting on the certificates awarding ceremony, Mwanamveka said the party wanted to certify it’s members who won the member of parliament and ward councillors to boost the morale.
” This means that these are the members that we have recognized so represent the party as the member of parliament and ward councillors in the southern region,” he said
