The Vice President during the 2019 annulled elections Everton Herbert Chimulirenji has announced his resignation from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) citing deep-seated undemocratic tendencies and what he describes as the party’s hijacking by “selfish and greedy individuals.”
Chimulirenji’s announcement comes just weeks after a controversial decision by the DPP’s National Governing Council (NGC) to overturn his landslide victory in the party’s parliamentary primary for Ntcheu North East constituency in favor of former Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Dr. Jane Ansah.
“I am done with the DPP. They will never change. This party is only good at using people and discarding them when convenient. What they’ve done to me is just confirmation that this party is in the hands of hijackers pretending to speak for Peter Mutharika,” said Chimulirenji in an interview at his home in Njolomole on Monday.
Chimulirenji’s political career reflects both the highs and lows of Malawi’s democratic evolution.
First elected as Member of Parliament for Ntcheu North East under the DPP banner, Chimulirenji rose to national prominence in 2019 when President Arthur Peter Mutharika chose him as his running mate in that year’s elections, sidelining then-Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima.
During the parliamentary elections, Chimulirenji failed to retain his parliamentary seat. He was defeated by UTM novice Arthur Chipungu. However, his ticket with Mutharika controversially won the presidential ticket amidst widespread accusations of vote-rigging, ballot tampering, and the now infamous use of Tip-ex.
The electoral process was so flawed that the Constitutional Court nullified the results in 2020, in a landmark ruling hailed globally for judicial independence. He is the only Vice President who took the office but his name will never appear as a former Vice President as the court ruled that the 2019 elections should be regarded as never happened.
His political fall was swift and largely silent, until now.
During the interview, Chimulirenji revealed that he had overwhelmingly defeated Jane Ansah, however, the DPP NGC, in what critics say was a premeditated decision, bypassed his victory and handpicked loser as the party’s candidate for the 16 September 2025 polls.
“I went through primaries and the people spoke clearly. But just like in 2019, the DPP doesn’t respect voters, even their own supporters. They imposed Jane Ansah as a reward for her loyalty in the rigged 2019 election,” said Chimulirenji.
Ansah, as a former MEC Chairperson, presided over the discredited 2019 election.
Though she eventually resigned after weeks of mass demonstrations led by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), her decision to join frontline politics and contest under the DPP banner has raised eyebrows.
Many within and outside the party view her candidacy as a “thank you” from a party still unwilling to admit wrongdoing in 2019.
“This is payback. This is not about merit or service. It’s about rewarding loyalty to corruption and impunity,” said a political analyst from University of Malawi, requesting anonymity.
Chimulirenji disclosed that he had received threatening phone calls from individuals allegedly connected to Chisale, the embattled former presidential aide currently facing corruption and certificate fraud charges, demanding that he withdraw from the race to pave way for Ansah.
“They told me I should step aside or face consequences. Someone called ‘Wayiyatsa’, a known Chisale agent, called me repeatedly. I was also visited in person. I thank God I am still here to tell the story,” he revealed.
These threats, he says, were part of a broader strategy by the so-called “Ntcheu Cabal,” a group of unelected power brokers within the DPP allegedly consisting of Chisale, Alfred Gangata, Gertrude Mutharika, Peter Mukhito, and party spokesperson Shadric Namalomba.
According to insiders, this faction is working to position Gangata, a political novice and controversial figure, as running mate to Mutharika in the 2025 elections.
“This group is power-hungry. They are using Mutharika to access state power again, not to serve Malawians but to protect themselves. They have no vision for this country. They don’t even believe in democracy,” Chimulirenji warned.
He declared that he will now contest the Ntcheu North East seat as an independent candidate and urged DPP members to think twice before allowing themselves to be used by political fraudsters.
“I am not bitter. I am just disappointed. Malawians must wake up. We cannot allow this group of thugs to hijack our democracy. If Mutharika loves this country, he should retire honorably and stop being used,” he said.
Chimulirenji also cast doubt on Mutharika’s ability to lead in his current state, citing old age and the former president’s increasing detachment from grassroots party structures.
“Let him rest. Let him enjoy his retirement. APM is a good man, but he has no control anymore. Those pretending to love him are using him for their selfish ends,” he said.
Chimulirenji’s departure is the latest in a string of internal crises that have exposed fault lines within the DPP.
The party is now split between its older, better-educated guards including George Chaponda, Bright Msaka, and Joseph Mwanamvekha and the younger but controversial Gangata-Chisale camp, known for its thuggery and lack of ideological grounding.
“Gangata has no political or intellectual capital to offer the party. He uses violence, intimidation, and stolen credentials to gain relevance. This is not the DPP that won people’s hearts in 2004. This is something darker,” said one DPP insider.
The elections are only two months away, and the DPP is battling multiple fronts: internal implosion, credibility collapse, and leadership paralysis. If its ongoing chaos continues, analysts warn the party may face yet another humiliating defeat at the polls.
As Chimulirenji exits the stage, he leaves behind a party that, according to many of its own members, is being dismantled from within.
“This is not the end of my political journey,” he said defiantly. “I may be leaving the DPP, but I am not leaving the people. They deserve better.”
