Grezelder Jeffrey rebuffs Chaponda as Opposition Leader

Dust is refusing to rest in the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as the party’s Secretary General Grelzeder Jeffrey is refusing to recognize the election of George Chaponda who has been recently appointed the new leader of opposition in the Malawi’s National Assembly.

Jeffrey rebuffs Chaponda as leader of opposition in parliament
Chiponda was appointed the new opposition leader on June 26, 2022 at a function held at PAGE house in Mangochi replacing Kondwani Nankhumwa, one of the DPP top members.

In a statement Jeffrey says she does not recognize Chaponda’s appointment because the incumbent leader Kondwani Nankhumwa was duly elected by over two thirds of all DPP and independent parliamentarians affiliated to the party in an election that was sanctioned by the Office of Speaker of National Assembly unlike Chaponda’s appointment which deliberately sidelined other MPs.

Jeffrey also claims that the meeting in Mangochi was attended by minority number of MPs both for DPP and Independent who were deliberately selected to participate in the election.

She says for instance, only 34 MPs attended the meeting that nominated and confirmed Chaponda as the new leader of opposition.

“Many MPs were not invited. As matter of fact, even myself as the Secretary General of the party I was not invited and did not attend,” says Jeffrey.

She says it is also transpired that no actual election took place at the meeting as only independent legislator simply proposed Chaponda’s name and few others confirmed and then the meeting adopted him of having been elected.

She says; “Following the purported election of Hon. Chaponda, the Administrative Secretary of the party Francis Mphepo issued a letter on the same.

“This communication is an illegality and against the DPP’s Constitution because it is the Secretary General who is mandated to issue letters of this nature.

“Mr. Francis Mphepo is a secretary in my office and works under my instructions.

In this case, however, I never delegated or instructed him to do so,” refuses Jeffrey.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey has appealed to all DPP members and all Malawians to disregard the communication from Mphepo and consider the said election null and void.