By Cathy Maulidi:
At his party’s elective convention Sunday, former president and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader Peter Mutharika seized the opportunity to criticise the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and assert that DPP is poised to reclaim power in the 2025 elections.
However, MCP publicity secretary Jessie Kabwila rebutted Mutharika, describing his confidence as misplaced and his speech as lacking substance.
Mutharika claimed that approximately 90 percent of Malawians desire a return of his party to power.
He condemned the MCP-led government, accusing it of mismanaging the country over the past four years and declaring that “nothing is working” in Malawi.
“There is hunger, a shortage of drugs in hospitals and people are struggling and being persecuted. We have a government that is brutal,” the former president said.
Mutharika referenced the biblical passage in Daniel 5:25, which speaks of “numbered, numbered, weighed and divided”.
He said the current administration has been weighed and found wanting and that Malawians have lost confidence in it.
“The kingdom will be taken away from you and given to DPP, UTM, UDF [United Democratic Front] and Aford [Alliance for Democracy],” he said.
It is unclear whether he was suggesting a potential alliance among these four parties, all of which were present at Comesa Hall on the first day of the convention, which is expected to conclude today.
Later, Mutharika clarified that his comments were intended as a joke, though he acknowledged that DPP needs to secure more than 50 percent of the votes to win.
“I am not saying DPP can’t win alone. We will secure more than 50 percent plus one,” he said.
Addressing the delegates, the DPP leader urged them not to elect leaders based solely on financial incentives.
“I know money can be tempting but choose only those who have the potential to advance the party[‘s agenda]. Elect leaders who are willing to work for the party and are honest,” he said.
Earlier, convention organising committee chairperson George Chaponda said DPP was determined to emerge from the convention united and stronger.
“We all know our party was perceived as divided with camps and factions, but I stand before you today to declare that those days are behind us. The masters of camps have left our party,” Chaponda said.
He reiterated that all convention seats had been up for grabs, but nine positions, including that of Mutharika as party leader, were unopposed.
We later learned that a candidate for the publicity secretary position had withdrawn at the last minute, allowing incumbent Shadric Namalomba to go unopposed as well.
Aford president Enoch Chihana told The Daily Times that the opposition parties were united in their goal of ousting the MCP government.
He described the gathering as a meeting of “friendly forces” committed to using all democratic means to remove the MCP government from power.
UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala said the party’s decision to send a delegation to the DPP convention reflected their belief in the importance of dialogue and engagement in a democratic society.
“UTM remains an independent party and our attendance should not be construed as forming an alliance with DPP. We are simply respecting the invitation extended to us and are committed to staying informed and involved in the political process,” Njawala said.
UDF secretary general (SG) Kandi Padambo also said his party honoured the invitation due to its longstanding partnership with DPP.
“Regarding an alliance, we have not yet discussed it because we, as UDF, are yet to hold our own convention. We will decide on that after our convention,” Padambo said.
Meanwhile, political analyst Chimwemwe Tsitsi has observed that the presence of officials from other political parties at the DPP convention, and hints of a possible alliance, would depend on the decisions of those parties’ members.
“There are some in these parties who might support DPP but others might not. Therefore, it requires careful analysis of the respective support bases of these parties,” Tsitsi said.
Reacting to Mutharika’s speech, Kabwila dismissed it as empty.
She accused the former president of campaigning against President Lazarus Chakwera instead of addressing issues within the party.
“His speech was a missed opportunity; he could have addressed internal party issues instead of lamenting over past defeats,” Kabwila said.
Those who have gone unopposed at the DPP convention include Jappie Mhango for vice president of the Northern Region, Edgar Tembo for treasurer general, Chifundo Makande as campaign director and Symon Vuwa Kaunda as director of logistics.
Chaponda faced competition from former Finance minister Joseph Mwanamvekha.
Loney Phiri challenged Bright Msaka for the vice president position for the Eastern Region, while former Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhito contested against Clement Mwale for the secretary general seat.
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