Democratic Progressive Party (Malawi)

Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
Abbreviation	DPP
President	Peter Mutharika
Secretary-General	Jean Kalilani
Spokesperson	Nicholas Dausi
Founder	Bingu wa Mutharika
Founded	February 2005
Split from	United Democratic Front
Headquarters	Lilongwe
Ideology	Anti-corruption ; Liberalism
Political position	Centre[citation needed]; Big tent
Colors	Sky blue
Slogan	Prosperity, Justice, Security
National Assembly	62 / 193
SADC PF	0 / 5
Pan-African Parliament	0 / 5
	Politics of Malawi; Political parties; Elections;

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a political party in Malawi. The party was formed in February 2005 by Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika after a dispute with the United Democratic Front (UDF), which was led by his predecessor, Bakili Muluzi.

History

The DPP party is an offshoot of the United Democratic Front. The UDF was formed by Bingu wa Mutharika and Bakili Muluzi and came to power in 1994 under Muluzi. After Muluzi's two terms were over, Mutharika succeeded him as head of the party and nation. However, Muluzi remained involved in running the party; therefore Mutharika formed his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party, in early 2005. Many UDF members defected to the new DPP party. The party and Mutharika won elections in 2009, and continued to rule the country.

Internal politics

In October 2008, the DPP's national governing council unanimously chose Mutharika as the party's candidate for the May 2009 presidential election.^[3]

Rise of the PP

Bingu wa Mutharika increasingly became controlling in the party. He began to groom his brother, Peter Mutharika, to be his successor. This led to a situation where he began to sideline his vice-president Joyce Banda due to her refusal to accept the move. Mutharika then kicked her out of the party. Therefore, the courts held that she was still the vice-president of the country even though she was not the vice-president of the party. Subsequently, Joyce Banda formed the People's Party. When Mutharika died in April 2012, Banda was still the vice-president and thus succeeded Mutharika as president, leaving the DPP under Peter Mutharika in opposition.

1 August 2011 DPP politburo

On 1 August 2011, Bingu wa Mutharika shuffled the leadership of the DPP. Bintony Kutsaira, who was secretary general of the party, was moved to the Office of the President and Cabinet and replaced by Wakuda Kamanga. Former finance minister Goodall Gondwe was named first vice-president, replacing Joyce Banda who was dismissed from the party in December 2010 for "anti-party activities". Following the death of President Mutharika, who was also party leader, the National Governing Council of the Party chose Peter Mutharika as the new Party President on 6 April 2012.

The new DPP politburo after the shuffle:

Office	1st	2nd	3rd
President	Peter Mutharika
Vice-president	Goodall Edward Gondwe	Yunus Mussa	Jean Kalilani
Secretary General	Jean Kalilani
Deputy Secretary General	Isaac Nyakamera	Etta Banda	Ralph Jooma
Treasurer General	Sidik Mia	Bessie Chirambo	Leckford Thotho
National Organising Secretary	Francis Mphepo	Catherine Hara	John Zingale
National Campaign Director	Ken Zikhale Ng'oma	Rashy Gaffar	Alice Lungu

Regional Governors:

DPP presidents

Peter Mutharika 2014–2020^[4]
Bingu wa Mutharika 2004–2012^[5]

DPP members

Electoral history

Presidential elections

Election	Party Candidate	Votes	%	Result
2009	Bingu wa Mutharika	2,963,820	66.17%	Elected Y
2014	Peter Mutharika	1,904,399	36.4%	Elected Y
2019		1,940,709	38.57%	Election Annulled N
2020		1,951,877	39.92%	Lost N