Widespread confusion and growing resentment have gripped the rank and file of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) following explosive public remarks made by Speaker of the National Assembly Sameer Suleman.
In a bitter political onslaught, Suleman accused President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) and party leadership of deliberate religious marginalization and corrupt procurement practices.
However, party loyalists and key officials have sharply pushed back, describing his behavior as an unjustifiable betrayal of executive principles and party discipline.
Constitutional Ignorance or Political Calculation?
Central to the outrage within the DPP is Suleman’s direct attack on former President Mutharika over Cabinet appointments. Party members have expressed bewilderment at the Speaker’s logic, emphasizing that under Malawi’s legal framework, executive appointments fall strictly within the constitutional prerogative of the sitting President.
“It is deeply confusing and disappointing to hear a high-ranking parliamentary official attack the President over Cabinet structures,” said a senior DPP official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The power to appoint Cabinet Ministers and determine government key positions is the exclusive mandate of the Head of State. Blaming the President for exercizing his constitutional discretion—or attempting to measure executive balance solely through a religious lens—is unfair and politically dishonest.”
Party insiders pointed out that appointments are guided by a wide array of constitutional requirements, regional representation, competence, and broader national cohesion, rather than sectarian quotas.
Betrayal of Party Loyalty
Members across various party branches have voiced frustration over what they view as an unprovoked assault on the leadership that elevated Suleman within the political landscape.
Loyalists view the attempt to mobilize religious identity against his own political home as a dangerous escalation aimed at stirring division for personal leverage.
“Instead of respecting constitutional boundaries and fostering party cohesion, Sameer Suleman is choosing to fire reckless shots at APM. How can an official turn around to drag his own party leadership through the mud simply because his personal political desires were not met?”
— DPP Youth Wing Representative, Blantyre
Exploiting Religion to Shield Ambitions
Critics within the party have further dismissed Suleman’s claims of religious targeting as a calculated distraction.
They argue that invoking faith and inciting religious communities to rally in his defense is a transparent attempt to create a political shield.
“Malawi has maintained interfaith harmony for decades because our political leaders have refrained from dragging religion into internal party disputes,” noted a political analyst in Blantyre.
“By claiming religious persecution over standard executive appointments, Suleman is setting a dangerous precedent that risks fracturing both the party and the nation’s peaceful social fabric.”
Growing Calls for Party Discipline
As internal friction deepens, members of the DPP are calling on the executive committee to address the situation before it causes further damage to the party’s unity.
With party members standing firmly behind former President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s constitutional authority, pressure is mounting on Speaker Suleman to retract his divisive remarks and align his conduct with the responsibilities of his office.
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