Aford undecided on political alliances for 2019 elections

Alliance for Democracy (Aford) leadership says the national executive committee will make a decision during its convention in September on whether to go for a political alliance or battle it alone during the 2019 elections.

Aford president Enoch Chihana says it will be up to the convention to make a decision.

“We are the most democratic party. We will go by what the members want,” said.

Chihana’s unclear stand on alliance comes at a time when President Peter Mutharika declared that his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) would not server ties with its political bed fellow, the United Democratic Front (UDF) amid discontent from some members who feel the alliance is only benefiting the ruling party.

Chihana said he could not make a decision on the issue single handedly, saying after the convention endorses it, there would be need for terms and references so that Aford does not lose out in such an alliance.

Chihana took Aford into an alliance with the then ruling party, the Peoples Party and gave up his race for presidency in favour of Joyce Banda in the 2014 presidential polls. Banda lost the election to Mutharika and got to a distant third position after Malawi Congress Party’s Lazarus Chakwera.

The UDF has been silent on whether it will support the Mutharika candidacy or not during the election in 2019.