Alliances: Who has attractive campaign messages for Malawi swing voters?

May 18, 2020 Mike Fiko –Nyasa Times 55 Comments

The campaign season for the July 2 [or June 23]  Fresh President Elections is in full swing and, already, daggers are drawn.

Chilima and Chakwera: Tonse Alliance
Mutharika and Atupele: DPP-UDF alliance

It’s a war of two alliances, each with a strong base of voters but to win these elections, the battle comes down to swing voters.

Both alliances have an election to win or lose because, counting on their traditional voters, the figures look pretty good; that is why the alliance that will sway more swing voters to its fold, is the one with the greatest advantage of carting victory home.

Ordinarily, Malawi’s swing vote is predominantly the Northern Region vote  and, of course, the urban vote. These voters are always moved or swayed by campaign messages and visible development projects. Not tribe.

This is why, at the point in time, it is critical to ask: Between  opposition Tonse Alliance and  governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance, which group, so far, is churning out attractive campaign messages that can sway swing voters to their fold?

Is it yet not clear, at this stage of the campaign, to decode what, actually, Tonse Alliance is standing for; or what UDF/DPP is standing for.

However, from the key messages coming from the campaign trails, it is, somehow, becoming a bit simpler to tell the principles underlining what these two parties are advancing.

For instance, Tonse Alliance appears poised to dismantle the political hegemony of two families—Mutharika and Muluzi—which has bestride the countries’ politics since the advent of multi-party democracy in 1994.

To them, the dominance of these two families is the reason Malawi is failing because these families have been running Malawi as their personal farm.

They advance that the experience this family runs in matters is negligible and should not be tolerated because there is nothing substantially developmental in it.

In other words, the gist of Tonse Alliance’s appeal message is the flaws of their rivals—we haven’t heard much in terms of what, themselves, can do.

The UDF/DPP alliance, with Atupele Muluzi on the frontlines, is mostly towing the ‘experience’ to discredit both  opposition leaders  Lazarus Chakwera and  Saulos Chilima as amateurs in state craft.

To them, Chakwera is an aged kid in matters of running State affairs and giving him power is akin to suspending Malawi’s development journey. To them, Mutharika has garnered needed experience in state craft, as such; he must be allowed to continue because nothing will be disturbed.

Fundamentally, there are two things involved here: One, its either we allow the experienced Mutharika/Muluzi family to continue; or, we opt for the inexperienced, greed pricks of Chakwera/Chilima – as former vice president Cassim Chilumpha described them –  to take us a different road.

The question: What would you chose?

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55 replies on “Alliances: Who has attractive campaign messages for Malawi swing voters?”

    1. MCP has never controlled a budget since dawn of multiparty democracy. We therefore cannot talk about development by MCP.

  3. The good thing is that malawians have woken up for good, no stupid rhetoric will sway them, Thanks to Chakwera and Chilima, Malawians have opened their eyes, The winds of change have finally arrived and nobody can stop the Tsunami for change

  4. The MESSAGES was well articulated from the first until you mentioned “Greed Pricks of Chakwera/Chilima”,That shows the writer has taken side and it has spoiled the whole message he was trying to explain.

    2. I also got his side when he tried to conclude on tonse alliance agenda that it peged on the shortfalls of the current regime and nothing more. Then I knew to which side is the writer

  5. cadet kind of writing.
    Malawians do not need your writing to know who to vote for. Tikumudziwa kale ife.
    You are biased

  6. Mabanja awa chifukwa chani kumuvutisa mwana uyu Atupele chonchi. Nkhalamba yilikuti????

  8. there is no greed in mcp and utm. this article is useless and baseless. written by an ignorant

    1. There is serious greed because their campaign is attempt to stop a certain group of people from participating.

        1. I am not a Muluzi of Muntharika but want Dpp in government stop generalising. Mcp is run by the same people, kamuzu’s relative John Tembo who chose his relative by marriage Chakwera

      2. That is not greed.Go back and check the word greed in dictionary.If i can go deeper these two families are the ones who are greedy.

  10. Mike Fiko is bent towards the ruling elite as he’s distorting the information deliberately or he write what he chooses to have heard instead of writing what’s been or being said. Tonse Alliance has been clear in saying they’re dropping the cost of fertilizer from 22,000 to 4,500. Even if there was one agenda at least he would have easily picked this. Why omiting the obvious Fiko??. The second being stumping out corruption… this has been said more many times but Fiko has chosen to pay a blind eye and deaf ear. That’s the problem of paid up writing…you tend to twist up clearly tangible things. Fiko has contavened a law … law of omission. Thirdly the nepotism / tribalism / familial tendency well pointed out orchestrated by the DPP/UDF alliance. 4thly Megafarms in every district as touted by Chilima. What issues do you want to hear b4 you put them on paper Mr Mike Fiko??… it’s worrisome if one chooses to omit facts… balance yourself up Fiko. You’re a miserable disgrace to the writing fraternity. Next do better.
    Don’t retard Malawi because of deliberately misinforming our public. Be ashamed.

    1. I like this. Removing the two families is the secondary aim.Primary aim is MALAWI OKOMERA ONSE which includes the reduction of Fertilizer price from K22,000 to K4,995.

  11. Where’s the President?
    More than two weeks into this election not one ralley by the President.

    At least Chakwera is applying for the job that President does not believe he needs to re-apply.
    Chakwera has my vote

    1. He he if one Mr James Banda equates to the plurality of the word Malawians. He he he mulilanso. Tell Simbi to have money for the judges ready

  12. How do you measure experience???? What has Mutharika achieved with his “experience” Malawians have already made their decisions

  13. Alipo anthu ama business ndi tmageni
    Tongopezela chakudya chapatsikulo
    Awa amavotanso
    Tsiku lamademo amadandaula koopsa kuti zinthu siziyenda
    Bolanso la Holiday
    Nanji zikaphatikiza ndi umbava ndi kuswa ndie naji

  14. Ndi lock down muzintchito ndima business a anthu,yamaDemo mwakonzawa
    Sindiye mukudzichepetsela chepetsela mwai wamaVOTE
    Simukuona inu aZOFIILA
    KUZIUZA ZIGAWENGA ZANUZO
    kuti a-ah a-ah pakalipano ayi kaye MADEMO.Nzelu zikhalepo

  18. In my view it is disgusting to qualify Chakwela/Chilima as amateurs. After all A Dad also was given a chance as an Amateur in 2014. He has taken our country no where. It only takes you a moment to travel from Lilongwe to Kasungu and see the condition of M1. Its a shame. Malawi needs Chakwela/Chilima Alliance for better change. Enough is enough. We need change. A Dad akula akalele zidzukulu.

  19. TWO BY SAYING FERTILIZER WILL BE K4,000,00 PER BAG MCP UTM ALLIANCE HAS HUMMERED THE LAST NAIL ON UDF UTM ALLIANCE.ALL PEOPLE IN THE THREE REGIONS FARMERS 80 percent this is the messege they will want to hear ftom a political rally.for dpp udf they csnnot claim this brcoz fertilizer is at 22,000 kwacha.Game over.
    Last point the alliance that will command more votes in the north is the winner.tribalism and regionalism will pray its role in this elections one on regionalism dpp commands southern region.mcp control central region.utm pp and other parties commands northern region.And worse still on tribalism is chewa versus lomwe.chewa 6million lomwe 3 million.Registered voters liongwe alone chewa 1million registered last elections 530,000 voted chakwera. While lomwe districts thyolo 279,000 registered mulanje 281,000 registered chiradzulu 145,000 registered phalombe 167,613 registered in 2019 total registered in lomwe belt 872,613 registered.In 2019 elections thyolo voted with 195 ,000 mulanje 185,000 phalombe 110,000 total 490,00 voted APM.This is where game ya mitundu tribe and regionalism advocated by Atupele omilangiza amulakwitsa.hatred messeges in lomwe brlt and mangochi was a grave mistake you are at disadvantage. If you had not advocated for tribal messeges and region you would have amassed some votes in central but not this time.Chakwera next sixth president indeed according to 2014 prophet LIABUNYAS national shocking prophecy which tape I have marking end of Mighty DPP he warned if it riggs rlections in 2019 to attempt to rob Chakwera victory.He said God had annointed Chakwera not APM snd that Malawi will devrlop under Chakweras two terms.Amen.

  20. How much have you pocketed from DPP, you Mike Fiko, or whatever you call yourself? We are very tired with your stupid articles. We know that as a cadet,you are paid to write these trashes. Whether you like it or not, change is here already. Your experienced thieves will not make it.

  22. It would be another type of human rights abuse to vote for Peter Muthalika, at his very advanced age , the old fella needs a lot of rest, enjoy his retirement package. Mindful he has been in the lecture room most of his time, reading books and writing articles so his body has already been subjected to a lot of pressure over the years. Hopefully people from Southern Region will be human enough, be considerate, reasonable and responsible this time around. It was a huge DPP mistake not to allow Saulos Chilima to take over from him in 2019.Chilima has demonstrated all his political capabilities.

  24. stupid writing and a waste of time reading this kind of trash writen by one with a chicken brain inside his head.

  25. The said experience of APM/AAM is useless and irrelevant in this election. DPP and UDF are both the cause of the untold suffering that we Malawians have faced since 1994.

    We are now poorer than we were before 1994 as a country. We have seen bad policies implemented by these two parties. Talk about nepotism, quota system et Al.

    The swing voters will indeed be fellow malawians up north and with the false development promises for the region by DPP tiziona. To make matters worse APM chose not to do any development rallies and they call them for 12 months after 21 May 2019.

    The afrobarometer poll should give an indication of the political reality on the ground.

    Malawians atopa ndi ulamuliro wa mabanja awiri!!!

  27. Mr Fiko are you sure you haven’t heard what Tonse Alliance is promising to do? The K4,500 price of fertilizer; Three meals per day; 1,000,000 jobs; the K75 billion loans and equitable development.

    I would suggest you write objectively and leave judgement to the people.

    1. Experience in sterling is not a good experience at all. And these two families have previously come out on the public accusing each other of stealing and looting government coffers

  28. Kkkkkkkk palibe fundo kkkkk apa nena bwino timve anthu kuno kumudzi experienced thief ndani kodi ? Sitikumva ife. DPP woyeee UDF UDF woyeee Boma ilo

  30. For the sake of those who are mad including the writer,the choice is in the hands of the Voter not the Nyasatimes. You can not ask us as if you are asking your wife. We are not as you think we are. Change is here already.

  31. What a biased analysis. Chakwera is promising affordable housing for civil servants and working class. Meaning people will have houses unlike today when houses are for him and her. Mk50,000 minimum wage, MMK100,000 ceiling of non taxable income. He is promising more decentralised approach to development. Chilima is mentioning income for those beyond MK65.000, Cheap farm inputs and others. What greed is here please? After all what experience do we need from APM and old man go deserve rest. What sense do we have to trouble Agogo at this point in time? Are we being responsible enough?

    1. You are a cadet. No need to vote for MCP. We are more than ready to vote for MCP/UTM alliance.

  33. MCP government led by Kamuzu Banda was dominated by people from the central region. The party is still dominated by the central region with a few tokens from south and northern region

    2. Is it MCP’s fault? Are you forced to join any party or you make your own choice?

  34. One thing that needs to be made clear is that Chakwera is related to John Tembo who was the main killer in MCP government. Tembo plucked Chakwera from church and imposed him on MCP. So, MCP is a family party too.

    1. Mmmmmm! Jameson mwayamba kumwa ndi makoli akuba a DPP sanakuyanjenitu, bwererani ku kachasu, otherwise seek help before it’s too late

  35. Will chose experience (DPP and UDF) after all MCP is a violent party – it killed people for 30 years and has continued to terrorise us since last year.

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