DPP convention underway, Ben Phiri’s plan to rig elections thwarted

BLANTYRE—The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) convention is underway in Blantyre at Comesa Hall with speculations that Ben Phiri, the longtime aide to President Peter Mutharika, had planned to rig the elections in favour of what is known as DPP team A.

The message circulating on Whatsapp claims that money has exchanged hands between MEC officials and DPP team A members. The team A is comprised of Kondwani Nankhumwa, Grezelder Jeffrey, Ben Phiri, Nicholas Dausi and others.

There are four heavyweights each running for the positions.

But DPP delegates were sharing a Whatsapp message that implicated director of operations Ben Phiri to have made plans to rig the elections by printing other ballot papers at his Beata Printing Company and rig for his close ally Minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu to be central region vice president.

The position of central region veep is being contested by the incumbent Hetherwick Ntaba, Uladi Mussa, Zeria Chakale and Tembenu.

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Joseph Mwanamveka and Trade and Industry minister Henry Mussa are vying for the party vice-presidency for the south and will face local government minister Kondwani Nankhumwa.

The three ministers are challenging the incumbent George Chaponda. However, Nankhumwa is regarded as a favourite.