Africa-Press – Malawi. A new twist has emerged in the race for Speaker of Parliament after four Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators from Nkhata Bay and the sole MP from Likoma threw their weight behind Blantyre City South East MP Sameer Suleman as the party’s official candidate.
The five — Jacob Mtambalika, Mackenzie Chipalamoto Nkhwazi, Symon Vuwa Kaunda, Paul Kapangama Chiumia, and Charles Chilambula — made the announcement today, deepening the DPP’s internal battle lines as the Speaker contest heats up.
Mtambalika, MP for Nkhata Bay Mpamba Constituency, said their position reinforces the party’s earlier decision to back Suleman.
“Our party has already endorsed Honourable Suleman for the position of Speaker. As patriotic members of Parliament, we are standing by that decision,” said Mtambalika.
The endorsement comes amid growing speculation of factional cracks within the DPP, as some members reportedly rally behind alternative candidates.
Party insiders say the endorsement by northern MPs is a calculated move to present a united regional front behind Suleman, who has positioned himself as a reform-minded and outspoken figure within the opposition benches.
The declaration also received a nod from DPP second vice president for the North, Jappie Mhango, and regional governor Christopher Mzomera Ngwira, who reaffirmed Suleman’s candidacy during a recent event in Mzuzu where several independent legislators formally joined the party.
Political analysts view the coordinated endorsements as part of a broader effort to consolidate the DPP’s messaging ahead of the Speaker election — a contest that is fast turning into a test of loyalty, unity, and strategic control within Malawi’s main opposition.
With Suleman’s name now echoing across the northern bloc, the coming parliamentary session promises to be a make-or-break moment for the DPP’s internal cohesion — and a preview of the battles that will define its path toward 2025.
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