Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member of Parliament for Chitipa South, Werani Chilenga, has described the National Governing Council (NGC) meeting the party held on July 3, 2023, as the most disorganized meeting he has ever attended in his life.

He added that the Nkopola Lodge meeting was a sham, which needed not to come from a party that claims to be democratic.

Chilenga made the sentiments at a press briefing a selection of disgruntled NGC members held in Lilongwe on Monday. Others who attended the presser were Dr. Matthews Ngwale of Chiradzulu West, Baxter Kita, among others.

Chilenga revealed that NGC members with seemingly dissenting views were gagged throughout the meeting.

“That’s why I am saying this is the worst and strangest meeting I have ever attended in my life. And I would not wish to attend such a meeting in my life again,” vowed Chilenda who is also the Deputy Director of Research and Training in the former governing party.

“In fact, let me emphasize that the NGC meeting in Mangochi was an illegitimate one because some of the people that attended the meeting are not NGC members,” he said.

Kita 2nd from right addressing journalists as Dr. Matthews Ngwale Werani Chilenga and another senior DPP official look on Photo by Watipaso Mzungu 1 — Kita (2nd from right) addressing journalists as Dr. Matthews Ngwale, Werani Chilenga and another senior DPP official look on–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu.

“We are demanded a constituted NGC meeting,” he added.

The press conference was organized to brief journalists on the resolutions made the Nkopola Lodge meeting, which they are apparently opposed to.

Chilenga disclosed that majority of the NGC members were ambushed as they were not served with the agenda of the meeting, including the endorsement of party leader Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika as torchbearer in the 2025 presidential elections.

Speaking earlier, Deputy Director of Political Affairs, Baxter Kita, said the NGC meeting had exposed that DPP leaders do not respect their own party’s constitution.

Kita wondered why the party had chosen to contravene its own constitution by extending the terms of office for NGC members.

“We are very disappointed with the way the meeting was conducted. It was a staged meeting to endorse APM. Some members were strategically positioned to endorse APM. Otherwise we have no reasons to prolong our stay in positions. We simply need a legitimate NGC meeting and thereafter an elective conference so that we seek a new mandate,” he said.

The concerned NGC members said they expect the Central Committee of the party to arrange another meeting ‘as soon as yesterday’.