Kaphuka not joining DPP

By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza

One of the renowned political camouflages in the country Samuel Kaphuka says he is not contemplating of joining the ruling democratic progressive party {DPP} as the reports indicate.

Kaphuka has been seen holding meetings with the DPP royalties that include the party’s publist Francis Katsaila mostly at mount soche Hotel in Blantyre.

In an interview just after a recent meeting with Francis Katsaila which was held at the Hotels pool side, Kaphuka parried away the reports that he was discussing with Katsaila on joining the party, saying he was comfortable at Democratic people’s congress{DePeCo} which he joined recently.

“You journalists are very primitive with your professionalism, why do you think holding meetings with the DPP members means that iam wooing them to carry me on board? I don’t join political parties because iam money hungry but because of the principles and ideologies of the party,” said Kaphuka, who was flanked by his wife and some documents in the hands.

Kaphuka added:” this is one country and one nation so we should not create divisions because of political party lines.”

Kaphuka also expressed discomfort on the growing levels regionalism in the country, especially when it comes to politics.

“For example, people think that anyone born in the llomwe belt should support the blue party. I was born in Thyolo at Rebecca Gunde Kaphuka village in T/A Bvumbwe but brought up in Ntcheu but I don’t support the blue party,” Kaphuka said

Asked why he decided to leave the Malawi congress party {MCP} to join the little known Depeco, kaphuka confided: “this is a relay race that one should not only be a champion, I had to stop for others to continue. I thought I have did my good work in MCP and my work was visible in the 2013/2014 when I managed to put MCP on the card in Blantyre city west constituency where I stood as an MP for the party.”

However, a confided source who works at the Hotel disclosed that Kaphuka has been seen with discussing with ministers and other party officials to lobby for the purchase of his defunct Kaphuka secondary schools buildings at K300 million.

“He wants to sell his premises to government through Tevet to be used as a technical vocational collage,” said the source.

Kaphuka joined party politics in the 90’s. He joined United Democratic front {UDF} and was appointed the deputy minister of education, a post he was fired after reports of massive examination leakage. He later stood on an independent ticket before he joined MCP.