Divisions and infighting within the opposition Malawi Congress Party(MCP)have taken a new turn with Salima North-West Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Jessie Kabwila accusing her fellow party MP’s of ‘cyber bullying’ her.
This is comes in the wake of a picture which has gone viral in which the MCP legislature was captured at OR Tambo airport in South Africa on her way from other engagements in her capacity as SADC Women Parliament Caucus Chairperson, which is also showing long time personal aide to the President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, Ben Phiri larking from a distance.
The picture is believed to have ignited furry among the party hierarchy with some of her fellow MP’s accusing her of associating with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) with the view of disturbing and causing divisions within the party, a thing which Dr Kabwila has categorically refuted.
Addressing members of the press in Lilongwe on Friday afternoon, Dr Kabwila said it is very unfortunate that some members within MCP are hell bent to finish her off politically by creating false stories about her association with other political groupings apart from MCP.
“I am really saddened with the kind of treatment that I have been receiving from the MCP membership which is clearly aimed at weakening my political survival among my constituents. The lies being propagated by own family is now reaching the people who put me here and the people I serve.
The intention of the proponents of these lies want to finish me politically that is why they are targeting the voters in Salima North-West,” she said.
Dr Kabwila said contrary to what people are saying, she went to South Africa to attend two conferences owing to her position as SADC Women Parliament Caucus Chairperson and not under the sponsorship of any political party.
“I am loyal to this country; everything I do is for the benefit of Malawians. I went there to push for an agenda that is good for all Malawians which was not even political in nature. And besides, Ben Phiri is a Malawian and nothing can stop me from greeting him everywhere I can meet him,” she said.
In a thread which she shared with members of the press extracted from some whatsapp forum for MCP MPs, MCP MP for Kasungu Central Amon Nkhata, labels Kabwila as ‘Judas Scalliot’ accusing her being behind all the confusion that is currently reigning the oldest party.
“Kabwila ukudzatani kuno ku Jo’burg? What business is there between you and Ben Phiri of DPP? Kabwila you are MP for MCP and Ben is for DPP, what mission do you have towards MCP squabbles? Now we see Kabwila is njoka mu udzu though she looks innocent,” reads part of the text which Nkhata posted on the forum captioning the picture in question.
In the same text which was made at 11:02 PM on the day Kabwila arrived from SA, Nkhata went on calling her names like ‘Nkholokolo’, a sellout, a crook who is betraying MCP because of money.
When pressed on what she makes of her political future in the party considering the treatment that she is being subjected to at the moment, the former university of Malawi lecture only said time will tell.
“We cannot operate on ifs, I would prefer we cross that bridge when we come to it,” she said.
Dr Kabwila however retaliated her commitment and loyalty to the MCP saying that whatever happens, she will die an MCP member.
-Mana
