The hullaballoos that have engulfed the once Mighty DPP party has made historians did deep to expose the roots of the party. With Former President Peter Mutharika appearing to hold ultimate powers, which he is using to unleash dismissals to Kondwani Nankhumwa and others, many are wondering if APM regards the party as his own personal property. Well, the bad news to the APM camp is that neither does he own the party nor did he found the party- papers have revealed Dr Ken Zikhale Ngoma Founded the party alongside former president Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika and Gwanda Chakuamba.
DPP was founded as a splinter party from the then ruling UDF. Relationship between the then Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika and his predecessor Bakili Muluzi went sour. Bingu was an endorsed candidate by Bakili whom many believe wanted to still remain in control of the country after his failed third term bid. Bingu didn’t fall for Muluzi tactics and as such they fell out. It was at the point that Bingu’s right hand man Dr Ken Zikhale Ngoma rose to the occasion and formed DPP with him as its first secretary general.
DPP’s name was borrowed from DPP party in Taiwan and the party cloth borrowed the design of NABW from Joyce Banda’s women’s cloth and the maize was borrowed from Chakwamba’s Republican Party. The designs were specifically worked out by Bingu and Zikhale. Zikhale then came up with the slogan “Chala Mmwamba” which was a way to thank God for helping them take over from UDF whose leadership was Muluzi
People have finally realised the true owner of mighty DPP, after Nankhumwa’s saga, that DPP was fully registered by no other than Zikhale Ng’oma and Dr Bingu Wa Muthalika, . it is rather interesting now as DPP find itself trying to expel some members from the party with Peter Mutharika acting like he owns the party. When Zikhale formed the party, a number of other trustees were including for the sake of registration. These include names like The late Gwanda Chakuamba, Patricia Kaliati , Uladi Mussa, Henry Mussa and Hertherwick Ntaba. The majority of the original trustees are no longer part of the party.
A Malawian Political scientist based in Manchester , Victor Phiri commented on this revelation about DPP original founders claiming history can not be hidden and that Malawians have the right to know the origins of political parties.
“ History can never be hidden no matter how long it might take. We have seen recently with MCP coming clear that the party founder was from Nkhatabay and his name was Orton Ching’oli Chirwa. We have also just established that Dr Zikhale founded DPP alongside the late Bingu and the late Cgwanda Chakuwamba” said Phiri
Those that follow the law says Zikhale as the original Trustee of the party , can have the right to fire Nankhumwa. According to Rule of Law, Zikhale is the only one who can direct events for DPP and trustee meetings, Zikhale can influence, direct dissolution of the said DPP party, as long as he meets 3/4 majority of trustee members, which is likely possible as most trustees are no longer part or serving DPP.
It is not known as to how that would work out as Dr ZIikhale is now the strategic Director of the rulling Malai Congress Party
