Malawi’s ruling DPP pronounces Mutharika as its presidential candidate

(Malawi) Malawi’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has endorsed President Bingu Wa Mutharika as its presidential candidate in the May 2009 poll that will see him run for the presidency under a new banner having been elected to the post on a United Democratic Front ticket in 2004 before dumped the former ruling party to form the DPP a year later.

DPP Secretary General Heatherwick Ntaba said in Lilongwe Friday that the DPP’s National Governing Council (NGC) unanimously resolved to present Mutharika as the party’s candidate in the elections.

"There was nobody at the meeting who was interested to challenge the nomination of Mutharika," he said, adding that the decision to endorse Mutharika’s name came after tremendous achievements which have been registered in the past four years, including mobilising the nation’s farmers to produce bumper food harvests in the past three years.

In addition, the recognition which Mutharika has received from the international community due to this left the NGC with no choice but to resolve that he is the right candidate for the party.