Maravi

(NYASATIMES) DPP cadets strip a Chief naked, dethrone him

DPP cadets strip a Chief naked, dethrone him
By Nyasa Times
Published: June 6, 2011

Chief Mponda of Nsamala Village in Balaka district, who claim to have been paraded naked by Democratic Progressive Party DPP) Youth Cadets last month, has cried foul over the news that he has been stripped off his chieftaincy.

Mponda was beaten up, rubbed down with buffalo beans (chitedze) at a graveyard, during the burial ceremony of Daniel Kudonto, former regional director of campaign [South] of DPP in the presence of some top officials after he was accused of causing delays in handling the proceedings like grave digging at the burial ceremony of.

Mponda: Stripped his trousers and now chieftenacy

The 78-year-old chief told a local newspaper that he has received communication that he is no longer a chief a development he believes is politically motivated.

“As I am talking to you today, I was called by Group Kapalamula who told me that I am no longer a Chief. He said he has been instructed by T/A Nsamala to inform me about that,” lamented the chief.

Chief Mponda also said he was seriously injured by the DPP rough necks a situation which he says has left him to have difficulties in walking and now using the help of a stick.

“I am not feeling well. They beat me up so badly. I am now using a walking stick because my right leg still pains. I am not myself due to the bad experience I went through,” said the chief.

Mponda said it conspicuous that thugs who beat him were DPP youth cadets dressed in DPP regalia and were dropped off by two DPP pick up vehicles.

He also blamed the party spokesperson Dr. Heatherwick Ntaba and the Director of Women Patricia Kaliati for not stopping their militia the time they were beating the chief.

“Ntaba was very close to me when these thugs brought me before the public half naked. When they smeared chitedze on my body, he was there. And in fact, when the itching was unbearable, I removed some chitedze which fell on him,” he is quoted in the Weekend Nation saying.

He further claims that Kaliati insulted him and called him all sorts of unprintable names including teasing him on his stripped private parts.

“Madame (Patricia) Kaliati pronounced unpalatable language to me. I didn’t believe my ears. She mentioned my private parts,” said the chief.

“I feel bitter but since I was a victim I couldn’t answer back. As a chief, I needed respect. She wasn’t supposed to mention my nakedness as if she was my wife. Even my wife respects me, why should somebody’s wife mention my nakedness like that as if at one time I undressed myself to her? My heart still fumes at her conduct.

“She even said ‘Mfumu yopusa ndipo ufumu wako watha. Ngati tinakwanitsa kuthamangitsa diplomat, tinatseka university, kuli bwanji iwe?’ [You are a foolish chief, from today your chieftaincy is over. If we managed to deport a diplomat; closed the university; what about you?]”

President Bingu wa Mutharika and his DPP have all along be preaching the gospel of respecting chiefs which is not the case with what happened to Chief Mponda.

It has also been learnt that DPP is using few chiefs to call upon Malawians to back president Mutharika’s third term bid though the party through its spokesperson has downplayed the reports

President Mutharika has since called upon traditional leaders to take part in active politics a development which most Malawians including political scientists are against with saying it will bring confusion and favouritism when handling a number of government project among the people. – (Reporting by Kerah Semindo, Nyasa Times)

Labels: CADRES, CHIEFS, MALAWI

posted by MrK @ 5:23 PM