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Goodall Gondwe dumps the once mighty DPP machine

12 October 2012 Times

A prominent Malawian politician and first vice president of opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Goodall Gondwe has announced he has quit politics, but says he will remain a Member of Parliament for Mzimba North constituency until 2014.

In an interview on Thursday, Gondwe said he was leaving DPP and quitting politics to concentrate on work which remains unfinished in his constituency.

"I have decided to quit party politics. It means I have left the DPP, but will continue with politics which concern my constituency. There is a lot of work that needs to be done and that's what I will be doing," Gondwe said.

He, however, did not rule out returning to politics in the future saying 'anything can happen'.

"I might not have a lot to offer to politics in Malawi, but if you say to the country then yes I have," Gondwe said.

Gondwe credits his joining politics to the late president Bingu wa Mutharika whom he said asked him to contest on the DPP ticket to enable him work comfortably as Minister of Finance.

"I have enjoyed being a politician, looking back a lot has been achieved, but a lot also remains to be done," he said.

Reacting to the news, DPP leader in Parliament George Chaponda said the party would respect Gondwe's personal wish and would not force him to do otherwise.

Gondwe, aged 66, was credited with reviving the country's economy to the extent that growth reached 8 percent in 2008 and reduced inflation to a single digit.

After his five year run as Minister of Finance, Gondwe was appointed Minister of Local Government, a stint which lasted a year before Mutharika appointed him Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, a position he last served.

Gondwe is a renowned economist who has previously worked in the African Development Bank and the World Bank.