Chakwera says he can pull a ‘Trump-insipired’ victory in Malawi – All things being equal
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarous Chakwera, a presidential hopeful for 2019 elections, has said he can pull a ‘Trump-inspired’ victory if there will be no rigging or maladministration of the polls.
Chakwera was defeated by President Peter Mutharika in 2014 elections but claimed the incumbent won on a stolen vote.
Reacting to the victory of Donald Trump, a Republican, who triumphed despite his party being in opposition and underatted, beating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton who was poised to win the elections according to opinion polls, Chakwera said it is very possible for someone who was not in mainstream politics and government as it were with Trump, to carry the day only if things are done properly.
Chakwera observed in coments quoted in th press that in the US electoral set up, it was difficult for any allegations of rigging or maladministration to creep in due to the decentralised system and that Malawi was better placed to improve the electoral system with technological advancements due to its small geographical size compared to the US.
He said: “This country is small enough to leap-frog what has taken the US years to develop if we had the will to do that. This is the reason we are pushing for IDs and biometric system. Technology is the future, we had better brace up for it.”
Chakwera said:“Modern technology can help a lot; the way our vote counting is done leaves a lot of gaps for rigging. When you travel with ballot papers in the night there is a lot of machinations which can be done and if you compare with the American system, it is extremely impossible to rig the elections because the results are announced right there and then, if things are done differently, opposition can pull a surprise.”
The MCP president, who is also Leader of Opposition, said they demand “ a transparent way of managing elections.”
MCP is also advocating for Malawi to adopt a 50-plus-one system of electing a President from a first-past-the-post.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah who is a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, said advanced technology could simplify electoral processes to achieve credible results.
Ansah said the proposed electoral reforms currently being scrutinised by a Special Law Commission would address some of the challenges of the previous elections, and most recently the May 20 2014 Tripartite Elections which was marred by anomalies at voter registration and verification stages as well as at some polling stations when it came to tallying cast votes.
Chakwera will make it. Bravo!
Our hope is not in a man, but in GOD the creator amene amakweza ena ndikutsitsa ena. Salm 75:4-10; DPP, will surely Fall Babulo anagwa, Egypt anagwa, Rome anagwa, Kamuzu anagwa, Gadaf anagwa, Mubraki anagwa, Bingu anagwa, Peter adzagwanso. Mwachulutsa kunyada abale athu inu ngati kuti Mulungu anakenga inuyo nokha. Lapani dzichepetseni pamaso pa Pamulungu. Nhakhale president wanu akamalankhula amalankhulira m’mphuo ngati kuti kulibe Mulungu, pepani kuno ndikunja. Chakwera nayenso ndi nzika ya Malawi, kwawo nkuno ku malawi mwinanso bola iyeyo kuposa zinazi. Kay a ndidziwa kunela mavoti kumene mwachuka nako, tsiku lina anthu anuwa adzayamba kugwidwa, zayambika kale wina… Read more »
Chakwela is a joker? Wait wait, says who? Commentors sometimes are better jokers than comedians themselves, this country is governed by regions but by God Himself, leave His space before concluding your remarks, let me worn and wish well dpp-led gvt, that no one ever thought that Mr Peter Muthalika, eg Bingu WA muthalika could rule malawi in 2002,3,and 2004? Bingu’s life time in politics of malawi was in the hands of Muluzi without himself knowing that, how Muluzi gave power to Bingu, only only only God knows. Southernes you are acting like you all gods from Mulanje mountain why?… Read more »
Sidiki Mia or no Sidiki Mia achimwene. Chakwera is a joker. How does he think he can win when even in Blantyre he attracts a crowd as little as that which attend a funeral of a homeless person? Ifetu anzathu a ku Central timakuyalani kamtengo. Mukafuna kuvotera DPP mumatero in thousands. Ife kwathu kuno mukangochula MCP, ngakhale makoswe amene amathawa no wonder anthu ongolakwitsa okha ndi amene amavotera tambala wakuda, koma timawauza kuti asamachuluke, even the whole southern Region kuti asamayerekeze kufika 70 thousand pamene ku Central ife a DPP timatenga close to 700 thousand. 2019 tidzadutsa 1 million pa… Read more »
Anzeru, I think you are completely lost and shame on you. If there is a region in Malawi that is suffering since multiparty is southern region. This shows people from south are just illiterate and needs civic education. That is why you are calling Mulanje Thyolo States completely mbuli. DPP and Peter are too corrupt, hiding 7 cabinet minsters involved in cash gate, poor economy making Malawi the poorest state in the world, Poor Education, Poor health services, no security in the country, no electricity in the country one day we will wake up and found out that we are… Read more »
From Magafuli to Brexit and now Trump. This shows us people all over a tired of the same way of doing things. Tired of promises unfulfilled. They would now rather try something else. Desperate and disillusioned with the usual establishments. Their hope now lies in change.
Mr Chakwera so you believe you are like Trump? Kikikiki! Uunlike Trump the novice, you are now a seasoned and tainted politician!
Komanso chipani chanu chili ndi magazi thoooo!
Chakwera can not win because there is no harmony in MCP therefore he does not have support from his own people. Malawi politics or rather Africa is different from USA. We will always vote on Regional lines because developments are not shared equally when another President comes in, will automatically favour his Region. During Kamuzu’s era, he built Kamuzu Acadamy in Kasungu, Kamuzu International airport in Lilongwe, Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Bunda College of Agricuture, Chiteze Research station, ARET, Natuaral resources College all these in one Region just to mention afew and only Queens Central Hospital in the South… Read more »
@Ngongoliwa …….Lets continue suffering cause of our own ignorance. Malawians suffer coz of poor choices.
When people are tired with politicians ang govtment, they loose trust in the system..UDF..was reborn into DPP… Later reborn into PP..they are all the same corrupt liars incompetent people who are there for their on goals.it is not possible to choose not to have a govt but it is possible to choose a total stranger to the game.however govt politics are tricky in a law abiding country..where the president can’t do anything without congress approval.so wait they haven’t formed majority therefore his bizarre plans which made his win won’t materialise and he will end up like Obama or like what… Read more »