UDF leader Atupele Muluzi will be made the vice president of DPP as a step of making him the successor to the presidency of Peter Mutharika who is retiring after five years due to his advanced age as well as his dwindling health.

According to MalawianWatchdog through an insider, who pleaded for strict anonymity, confided that Mutharika has defied the proposition forwarded to him by the Mulhakho inner circle who wants George Chaponda to take over after him. Our source says Mutharika has a soft spot towards the young Muluzi and has vowed to make anything possible in order to push Atupele to the presidency. This is why the DPP vice president of the eastern region, Yunus Mussa has been earmarked for a diplomatic post in Egypt. It is a strategy of bringing on board Muluzi whose father is now championing the mission of dissolving the once ruling UDF into the DPP fold.

It is on record that soon after Mutharika took over the reins of power, he invited the senior Muluzi at Sanjika palace where he assured him of support and apologized for the atrocities his elder brother inflicted on the aging former head of state. Mutharika went further by promising that he will reciprocate Muluzi’s love to their family by handing back the presidency in 2019.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that there is a big rift in DPP with three factions blossoming. The first one has Mutharika henchmen like Bright Malopa and Goodal Gondwe who are advocating for Muluzi to take over. The second one consists mainly of influential Lhomwe clique including Patricia Kaliati, Henry Mussa, Kondwani Nankhumwa and the Mulli brothers who are pushing for Chaponda take over.

While the third group has many but silent party stalwarts who wants a normal succession procedure of Saulos Chilima, the current state vice president. This group is being led by the former party SG, Jean Kalirani who is also minister of health. It is rumoured that most of the central and northern membership of the party is supporting this grouping. Ironically, the Veep has no any significant post in the party.