PP unshaken by Kamlepo Kalua’s defection to DPP

The People’s Party (PP) says it is not shaken by Rumph East constituency parliamentarian Kamlepo Kalua’s defection to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Kalua, who won on a PP ticket, was welcomed into the DPP by the party’s Vice President for the North Jappie Mhango at an event held in Rumphi on Saturday.

According to PP’s spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda, Kamlepo defected from the party in 2019 right after he was elected as MP.

Banda further says Kamlepmo has been inactive in any activities concerning PP, therefore not recognized as a member.

“Soon after the election, he defected to DPP. He was appointed as a minister and he has been with the DPP. He has never, never been PP since that time.

It cannot affect PP because he has not been PP, he defected some four, five years ago.

Meanwhile, DPP’s regional governor for the North Nzomera Ngwira pledged to work closely with Kamlepo to develop the party.

“This indicates to the people of Malawi, especially politicians and supporters, that DPP is doing fine, is doing well because him as a politician who has been there for a long period to make such a significant decision to join a political party, one of the political parties in Malawi, is something that should be admired, not only to him alone, but the other politicians, they should also think twice which party to join” Mzomera said.

However, Justice Link executive director Justine Dzonzi earlier told Capital FM that section 65 of the Republican Constitution has to apply in such instances.

In terms of the law as it stands, it is clear that any member of parliament who does that will have crossed the law, and therefore that will be a ground on which his or her seat may be declared vacant. I don’t think that’s a controversial issue. I think it’s plain on the face of the law.

So my view would be that for that member, the speaker may be moved to declare his or her seat vacant by reason that this person has crossed that law,” explained Dzonzi.

The section gives the Speaker of Parliament the power to declare vacant the seat of an MP who crosses the floor by joining another party other than that which they belonged to at the time of election.

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