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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
Mwachepa