WHERE IS SOSTEN GWENGWE?

Five months now have passed since the country hosted its first ever tripartite election which saw the then opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led by Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika ascending to the high office, booting out the People’s Party (PP) regime led by Dr. Joyce Banda.

Despite the election being marred by several irregularities as alleged by some political parties like United Democratic Front (UDF), Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and (PP)who asked for Court intervention on the matter, the elections marked the disappearance of some well known people in the political scene.

Among the well known people who were swallowed up by the May 20 Tripartite Election are as follows; former MCP President, John Tembo, National Salvation Front (NASAF) President James Nyondo, PP running mate Sosten Gwengwe and others.

Meanwhile the main focus of this article is on Sosten Gwengwe whose appointment as running mate attracted comments from various Political analysts who described his appointment ‘as vote of no confidence’.

The appointment of Gwengwe brought divisions in the party as party founders like former Vice President Khumbo Hastings Kachali started shunning all activities organized by the party and he later endorsed the DPP as the Party people should vote for.

But speaking at one of the Campaign rally organised by the PP ahead of the May 20 tripartite election in Nkhotakota, Gwengwe defended his appointment.

“You (President Joyce Banda) did not make any mistake by picking me as your running-mate in the May 20 elections. Other youths in other political parties have not encountered any challenges like I have, I was taking roasted maize to school. I am positioned to assist my fellow young people looking at my poverty back ground” said Gwengwe.

Just after the election, Gwengwe pulled out of frontline politics and this marked the end of the relationship which existed between him and former President.

Meanwhile it is yet to be seen if Gwengwe will bounce back in 2019.