The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), once a titan of Malawi’s opposition, is imploding.
This implosion is driven more by fraud, factionalism, and financial exploitation rather than policy or vision.
At the eye of the storm are two men: Alfred Gangata, Central Region Vice President of the party, and Norman “Paulosi” Chisale, the obscure yet powerful “kingmaker.”
Below is a comprehensive reconstruction of their feud, set amid allegations of certificate fraud, black-market profiteering, and the unraveling of party unity less than two months before a critical election.
The trouble did not begin with money. Both Gangata and Chisale are currently out on bail for obtaining secondary school certificates fraudulently, a JCE paper for Chisale, an MSCE certificate for Gangata. These are no-speed bump controversies, they are criminal matters that have disqualified them from public office (but the DPP kept them in leadership roles); triggered internal investigations from within the Malawi Human Rights Commission; and forced both men to carry the stigma of fraud in public and in court this fall.
Despite this, neither has resigned, instead, they battle for dominance within a party that seemingly protects them at all costs.
Tensions erupted last month during a political exercise in Dowa. Gangata appropriated K20 million, allegedly to pay “MCP defectors,” chiefs, regional leaders, and youth groups. Instead. Chisale reportedly “phantom‑coordinated” a group of DPP members disguised in MCP colors; these “fake defectors” were paraded as renouncing the opposition. Gangata, seething, discovered the ruse, and quietly took back control of campaign funds.
This episode marks the turning point: Gangata realized the party was built on deception, and that Chisale’s ascendancy was sustained by exploiting his hard work.
At a recent Central Regional DPP gathering, Gangata did not mince words. He criticized “greedy individuals” within the party; he warned of a DPP massive loss in the September elections; and most bone-chillingly, he boasted the DPP was dead in the central region until he personally brought it back.
Gangata explicitly and publicly called out Chisale, Gertrude Mutharika, Namalomba, and Mukhito as “masters of manipulation and theft. He also accused Chisale of controlling his every move, even sending him threats to cancel rallies unless his instructions were followed.
Never one to stay silent, Chisale has retaliated. Party insiders report he accused Gangata of being “ungrateful” for elevating him; “stubborn” and “childish” for refusing to comply; and worse, threatening to personally end Gangata’s political career.
Chisale has since avoided Gangata’s events, claiming that gangata now “lacks central region support” due to internal leaks.
While this feud simmers, both men appear unaffected by legal repercussions. Both face real jail time if convicted of certificate fraud. And then public polls show DPP support cratering in Central Region, now hovering below 15%.
Yet they persist in running rallies and issuing statements about unity and electoral readiness, even as the party splinters along lines of illiteracy vs. pedigree, and Central vs. Southern regional patronage.
Surprisingly, faced with this, the DPP president Arthur Peter Mutharika remains silent. He continues to loiter at his Nyambadwe House in Blantyre where he is holed following medical advice that he has to be closer to a reliable medical facility and under Chisale’s watchful eye. Gangata has offered to finance his campaign, as long as he picks a competent running mate, and drops the financial corruption.
So far, the response from the former president is radio silence.
From Loan Shark to DPP Powerbroker
Alfred Gangata has cultivated an image as a streetwise, tough-talking politician but the veneer hides a darker truth; he also operates black‑market foreign exchange and loan‑shark schemes.
Our investigations show that: his network collects illegal “commissions” on forex trades in Lilongwe; vulnerable borrowers report usurious interest rates often resulting in violence; and he shields these illicit ventures behind a private “security‑guard” front staffed with loyal DPP foot soldiers.
Yet Gangata claims these are “community‑support” mechanisms to fund party operations.
Internal messages reveal he’s raised over K50 million in two months, funneling it into DPP rallies, many of which the Central Region had nearly abandoned before his interventions.
Chisale’s Overnight Fortune
The transformation of Norman Paulosi Chisale from personal guard to instant billionaire has left even party loyalists scratching their heads.
Originally employed under former President Bingu wa Mutharika—earning a modest K500,000 monthly salary, Chisale is now reputed to have: purchased multiple properties in Lilongwe and Mangochi; acquired rental fleets and urban land parcels; and deep political influence over candidate vetting, appointments, and provincial coordination.
His fortune has drawn the attention of law enforcement, his assets are currently frozen under fraud and money-laundering investigations.
Chisale also sits at the heart of the Ntcheu Cabal, a shadow political circle including Gertrude Mutharika, Peter Mukhito, and Shadric Namalomba. Yet, ironically, he was the first in this circle to clash with Gangata, reportedly telling the VP: “If you want to run for running mate, remember where your paycheck comes from.”
