Battle lines drawn: Mphiza to tussle with JB at PP convention

Peoples Party (PP)Deputy Regional Secretary for the South, Leonard Mphiza has announced intentions to challenge Joyce Banda for the party’s presidency at a convention slated for August 30 and 31 2018.

Making the announcement on Monday in Neno, Mphiza said he is running against Joyce Banda in order to bring back the party to its former glory on top of taking it into government next year.

He said he has set aside K30million to finance his bid for the PP presidency as well as the state presidency should he defeat Joyce Banda at the convention.

“I have already started approaching delegates in all the regions in the country making sure that when we go to the convention I come out strong and I am very positive I am going to give her a good run for her money,” he said.

Meanwhile PP Secretary General Ibrahim Matola has confirmed that Mphiza indeed made his first announcement at party’s National Executive Committee last week in Lilongwe and the party has welcome his candidature to compete with Dr Joyce Banda at the said convention.

“We have told him to come at the party’s headquarters to collect the forms for the position, we have already accepted his candidature and if there are others aspiring for such position let them come out open, we will accept them just like we have just done with Mr. Mphiza. All positions are up for grabs at the convention because we exercise genuine democracy at Peoples Party” said Matola.

Leonard Mphiza first appeared on the political scene in 2009 when he competed and lost in a Local Government race for Chikonde ward in Neno North.

He is a graduate from University of Liverpool in Zimbabwe where he studied Business Administration and has worked with Blantyre Print and Kandodo McConnell. Meanwhile he is heading a Construction Company in Neno.

Source: MEC Stringer