DPP-UDF torchbearer Mutharika assembles enough ‘foot soldiers’ to retain power – Analyst
Political analysts have said President Peter Mutharika has assembled “enough foot soldiers” in his 32-member new Cabinet to help propel him back to power and complete his second and final five year term of office as Head of State.
Malawi may hold fresh presidential elections sometime this year and the the new list of ministers assembled by Mutharika has been described as a “Campaign Cabinet”.
Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) earlier this month partnered with the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Atupele Muluzi – the son of former president Bakili Muluzi – who has been given the newly-created Ministry of Energy.
“He has selected individuals from all around the country so that he has enough foot soldiers to enable him to retain power in the May elections,” said political analyst Humpreys Mvula.
University of Malawi’s Chancellor College political science lecturer Mustafa Hussein said the new Cabinet “ will help campaign and attract votes from districts and constituencies.”
He said the President has tried to rope in people he knows would help him during the campaign when all is set for the fresh presidential election.
Another Chancellor College political analyst Joseph Chunga said: “This is purely a campaign Cabinet potentially to give the governing DPP votes.”
Mutharika speaking on Saturday at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre during swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed cabinet ministers and their deputies said he is optimistic that they will deliver in the portfolios that they have been assigned.
“You must all rise to the occasion,” said Mutharika.
The Head of State also said he expects the first timers to bring themselves up to speed with the mandate of their respective Ministries and Departments.
Mutharika further urged all the ministers to be united and work together for the betterment of Malawians and the country as a whole.
“Let us be united and always work as a team. Let us not undermine each other as we discharge our various mandates. We are all members of one Cabinet, performing different functions but serving one people.
“Therefore, lets go and work for the benefit of our people. I am aware that we must continue to construct more roads, school blocks, hospitals and many other basic infrastructures. We need to address challenges that are still dogging our energy sector.
“We must continue improving the lives of all Malawians. I therefore urge you to hit the ground running and serve,” added Mutharika.
In a landmark ruling on February 3 2020 the Constitutional Court ordered the holding of fresh presidential poll within 150 days, but Mutharika is attempting to quash the fresh election. But the Malawi leader is challenging it in the Supreme Court of Appeal.
In the new cabinet, Mutharika kept the bulk of his former cabinet drawn from his DPP.
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Dpp relies on vote rigging to win elections and this was started by muluzi way back.
Voting numbers do not add up in the thousern/southern region because the lower shire/chileka /kuthembwe/mwanza areas are basically NYAU dancing unlike the others.
Thus a region can never be regarded as a voting entity…
There is nothing can change the vote. DPP yawora kale.
At least this time even lomwe themselves see no leadership in this idiot Mthalika,
Worst president on earth
Joining the alliance just to get ministerial positions shame.This UDF party is not their to serve Malawians but their families.Regardless of where you are coming from but lets support a party that will take our mother Malawi forward.
Peter Mutharika is right when he says he has assembled the most “inclusive government”. His “inclusive government” is mainly made of his Southern region tribes. He has maintained his entire Mulhako Lomwe dominated cabinet and bloated it with stooges from the Central and Northern region of Malawi. Those people who are referred as “Foot Soldiers” don’t resonate with their people in their regions. Take for example people like Vuwa Kaunda and Kalua Kamplepo don’t have much followers in the North. If they did and why Saulos Chilima was able to gain so much votes than them? When you look at this new cabinet of Peter Mutharika you can see that on top is Mulhako power and deputies positions are for other regions. Most strategic deputy positions were given to the Southern region people.
Do not cheat other here. which foot soldiers are you talking about? The Kamlepos? my foot!!!! DPP failed in 2019 very miserably and u think it can win this time around. forget about it.
Back to power, my foot. Even with tippex this time, he’s not going win. Even with the ten year olds he’s frograntly registering as voters in his mulakho land, still nope. We’re sending him back to where he came from so he could go and check in care home.
Elections pending appeal at the Supreme Court.. As it stands today the law has not changed and 50 plus 1 rule does not apply. The issue of Malawi constitution being paramount is not humbug. We argue that our constitution is old. I would suggest Possibly yes possibly not. The current Malawi Constitution was executed in 1994 and updated in 2017.
Malawi has a written constitution and it is supreme. Both the parliament and Courts, in their exercise to enact or interpret a legislation, they can not subvert the constitution. First amend the constitution for bills to pass with a simple majority.
Is it easy to amend the constitution? One might wrongly think it is only Malawian constitution which is difficult to amend. Take a look at these two examples for Australia and USA
1. Australia Constitutional Act 1900; Amending Bill must pass through at least one House of Parliament by a specified majority and the proposed amendment must be endorsed in a referendum which approves the measure by an overall majority in at least four of the six states.
Between 1900 and 1990, 42 proposals for constitutional amendment had been put forward. Only eight were approved by a majority of electors nationally and a majority of electors in a majority of states.
2. United States constitutional amendment maybe proposed by either 2/3 majority of both Houses of Congress or a request .by the legislatures of 2/3 of the states., To be accepted , the proposed amendments must then be approved by the legislatures of 3/4 of the states or by conventions in 3/4 of the states.
Between 1813 – 1913, only three amendments had been accepted , between , 1913 and 1933 six amendments succeeded. and by 1951 only one further amendment.
I would suggest, our National Assembly has a task ahead to amend the constitution before changing any electoral act. Malawi is not the only country which makes it difficult to amend constitution. Even in countries which are champions of democracy, constitutional amendment is not just like walking in the Park.
Other commentators argue that 50 plus 1 was/is already in our constitution. Please can you refer me to the section in Malawi constitution which explicitly states 50 plus 1.
Malawi Constitution Amendment has only Two options:
1. Call for a referendum to amend constitution
2. An amendment of electoral act has to be compatible with the constitution and must be passed by 2/3 majority of all members of National Assembly eligible to vote.
So 50%+1 is not going to apply because of the bills that were not assented.
This is the problem when lay people try to interpret the law. 50 + 1 is not a new law. It is already there. What the court did was to interpret it as it was being wrongly interpreted. You can check for yourself what majority means. Our laws require that the president be elected by the majority. The power to govern is derived from the people and it is awkward that the people giving such power should be a minority. What the court directed is for parliament to come up with laws to provide for a rerun in the event that none of the contestants amasses 50+1 votes. If you are talking about the appeal, the Supreme Court already quashed the stay order. Which means the judgement of the concourt still stands until the Supreme Court delivers its judgement. Remember, according to one Jane Ansah, herself a Supreme Court judge, electoral matters are not appeallable.
Mwachepa
Foot soldiers are very dangerous. They break through the windows and dig tunnels.phwanya phwanya . Chilima and Chakwera mwamva mbebe
I have to differ with the writer,the opposite is true.DPP and UDF can not win the coming presidential election.This will be based on new rules and new reformed bills which Peter Munthalika is refusing to sign.He can win, using his commissioners to rig again.Why is he not firing these commissioners?he is afraid of losing the election without his commissioners, that is cowardness.The president is very selective on which rules to follow, loves the ones that are in support of DPP diehards but not those that Will make malawians happy.Most malawians wants a united country.Not regionalism.That new cabinet is full of greedy power hungry individuals who just wants money.The presidential election will be based on rules as constitution court judgement said.Follow the rules of the land Mr Munthalika.There were also great kings like king Nebuchadnezzar, their kingdom came to an end one day.To all Malawians stop zomangochemerera zili zonse.Malawians will vote with the levels of poverty in the country, for those who wants prosperity will choose the opposition alliance and for those who wants to continue swimming in poverty they will vote for DPP and UDF alliance simple.Zoti new members in cabinet will help Munthalika to win,it’s a big lie.It is up to the voters to decide.Malawians have seen poverty for more than 50 yrs.They deserve better than what is today.
Hahahaha
As expected our problematic vice president was missing yet he doesn’t want to resign. That fool VP is very corrupt indeed because he is pocketing tax money without working for Malawians. Those who are supporting his behaviour are stupid Malawians who condone greedy behaviour by chilima. Zeze ought to have resigned and give the president a chance to choose another vice president who can help him deliver for Malawians. VP chilima is just tieing the president’s hands.
an excellent display of ignorance
I am sure if there was evidence that chilima was stealing your president would be the first to have him arrested. APM is the one who is intellectually challenged, that’s why he is failing to run the country.
Malawians are tired of Nyekhwe and it’s old man. People are able to see that all this guy is looking for are votes but we have known him better. He doesn’t have the welfare of the people at heart. Denying to assent to important bills and lack of leadership in important issue affecting the country are enough reasons for letting him go to his home village. He has failed Mawians in everything. The analysts’ opinion does not make any sense
Ok.
Understand that when a marriage is over its over. Going to the gym does not help. Doing nice things does not help, buying gifts does not help, promises, pleading, begging, talking people into staying does not help, asking people to intervene on your behalf does not help. Majority of people want to move on and there is nothing at this point that can be done. Let the people have a government of their choosing.
Maloto a chumba ndithu. Zinamizanani
Mbuyathu Peter pumani, mwakalamba