Africa-Press – Malawi. There is a lot of drama in the political fraternity as 2025 general elections are getting closer. Unfortunately, all political parties seem to be experiencing a political turbulence.
A renown biologist, Charles Darwin noted that it was not only the giant that survived but those organisms that were more capable to adapt to harsh changing conditions.
It is therefore logically sound to conclude that the party that is more resilient to the dynamic political landscape has high chances of making it into government in 2025.
For starters, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) appears to be the most resilient and organised party so far. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is the worst.
It is an open secret now that the recent MCP indaba endorsed President Chakwera as their torchbearer in 2025. This gives him enough time to start looking for a possible running mate.
Readership must be cognizant of the fact that even in the run up to 2019 elections, President Chakwera was the first presidential candidate to announce his running mate, the late Honorable Sidik Mia. The most likely running mate for President Chakwera will come from either the Northern region or the Southern region.
From the cacophony of political events, President Chakwera is most likely to endorse Honorable Harry Mkandawire as a possible running mate. This sounds surprising or wishful thinking but its likelihood is enormous.
Hon. Harry Mkandawire is highly likely to be President Chakwera’s running mate as it would seem that the Vice Presidents of MCP are taking turns. It was the late Sidik Mia’s glory and now it is Hon. Harry Mkandawire’s turn.
It would also be a good political move to endorse Harry Mkandawire as the running mate for the whole Northern region will be motivated to vote for MCP.
In the less likely event that President Chakwera decides to porch a running mate from the Alliance, it can’t be from UTM again. It is a question of taking turns. In this case, Mark Katsonga becomes the most likely choice. Mark Katsonga has recently gained the trust of President Chakwera taking a government leading role in parliamentary proceedings.
I haven’t mentioned much about the Tonse Alliance. It is highly likely that this alliance will a bit disintegrate retaining fewer parties. UTM will most likely pull out of the alliance. If UTM pulls out of the grand Alliance, its members will probably go back to either their mother party ( DPP) and the ruling MCP.
Currently, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, has lost grip of UTM party. Many UTM members are frustrated with some notable people like Bon Kalindo and others resigning from their positions. Others have categorically exited from UTM.
It never rains and it pours for Dr. Chilima as he is facing wars from two fronts: Sour relationship with President Chakwera on one side and the disintegration of UTM on the other. It all boils down to the leadership of UTM who has never called for a meeting since Tonse Alliance went into Goverment.
It seems that Dr. Chilima is more concerned with his political future and benefits than the welfare of UTM members. One guru of UTM complained of being sidelined even when he fell ill during the course of working for UTM. That is not good leadership.
As the Tonse Alliance is crumbling, squabbles are the order of the day in DPP. It is unfortunate that DPP is the worst opposition party so far. Its leader of opposition is dismally compromised and he doesn’t provide the required checks and balances against the current regime.
The reader must be reminded that Kondwani Nankhumwa was endorsed by the Speaker of National Assembly, an MCP sympathiser. This was the time when Nankhumwa was rejected as the Leader of opposition by Prof Peter Mutharika. So Kondwani Nankhumwa has to please his two masters, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the DPP as a party. It is therefore not surprising that Kondwani Nankhumwa remains quiet on very pertinent issues that require his attention.
And then there are intra-party squabbles in DPP. The calls for early convention are unjustified because former President Peter Mutharika was elected at an elective convention. He can resign voluntarily but he can’t be forced out of office by unjustified calls of conducting early convention. So Kondwani Nankhumwa and his followers are wrong.
It is also the legacy of DPP for the outgoing president to endorse a Presidential candidate who later contests with other presidential aspirants at the elective convention Kondwani Nankhumwa and his followers are aware of this legacy under which Prof. Peter Mutharika ultimately became the torchbearer of DPP. All this happened under the watch of Hon. Kondwani Nankhumwa and his followers and they did not object to it.
Just before 2019 elections , MCP had similar squabbles which culminated into the excommunication of Dr. Jessie Kabwira nd Gustavo Kaliwo. DPP cannot make progress by swimming in the glory of court injunctions. It must address these issues once and for all even if it means obtaining counter-injunctions.
Dr. Bakili Muluzi tried to give some advice to end these wrangles in DPP. Recently, Dr. Goodall Gondwe sounded a similar alarm like that of Dr. Bakili Muluzi that those who do not subscribe to the DPP ideologies must honorably leave the party or face disciplinary action which also can be challenged or defended before a court of law.
On the other hand, Kondwani Nankhumwa is a bona fide Malawian. He is entitled to contest for any political party position in the country. However, Nankhumwa has to clear his name on the allegations that he used a certificate of his deceased relative.
Furthermore, there are also allegations that he obtained his PhD from a diploma mill. It is alleged that he collected data for his PhD thesis in September 2021 and shortly two months later in November 2021, he graduated as a PhD holder. For sure, this is fake because data collection, data analysis, thesis writing, thesis examination and thesis review correction can’t be executed within two months. Wonders never cease. If we allow political leaders to use fake qualifications, what message are we giving to the young generation? This is why we recommend the Government to flash out fake qualifications from the system including that of Henry Kachaje, the Chief Executive Officer of Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority.
Most likely, Dr. Dalitso Kabambe will be the torchbearer of DPP-UDF Alliance with Atupele Muluzi as his running mate. However, the road to 2025 general elections is bumpy and anything in the political arena is possible.
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