From abduction to Cabinet: The impeccable story of Kamlepo, Malawi firebrand politician
From the early 90s to the present, no name has had the ruthless streak of being a hot political topic than that of Kamlepo Kalua.
He was fearless and combative in denouncing the fierce and dictator Kamuzu Banda, in the early 90s, when winds of democracy stirred up the shores.
Kamlepo, a former president of the defunct Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) who had a first short for presidency in the historic first democratic election in 1994 when Bakili Muluzi defeated dictator Kamuzu Banda.
He ran again in the 1999 presidential election where he finished third place with 1.4 percent of total national votes beating the late president Bingu wa Mutharika at 0.47 percent.
After Banda’s fall, the victorious Kamlepo sneaked into the jungle and returned in a camouflage, always in the streets, protesting against Bakili Muluzi’s leadership woes. He is credited for influencing political decisions, including the 1990s demonstrations against the spiraling cost of living, march against third term bid and the July 2011 anti-DPP government demonstrations.
His unrelenting ways of battling incumbents, saw him arrested over 9 times—the worst being the time of Bingu wa Mutharika who, constantly, kept him behind bars.
To every Malawian, Kamlepo is a controversial figure who is not afraid to speak out and shame every force contrary to his average.
Even when he won that Rumphi parliamentary seat, Kamlepo never shied away from controversy.
He, unceremoniously, cut political ties with People’s Party (PP), leaving Joyce Banda in the cold.
Quite bizzare, Kamlepo at one weekend, was reportedly missing only to be found at some lonely Chichiri Roundabout in Blantyre, chained—apparently abducted.
The news caused a stir as to what had happened to him, but after all was said and read, it all boiled down to one fact: Kamlepo is a controversial character, capable of every strange act under the sun.
But history has taken a different turn, at least for now.
Kamlepo is now a full Cabinet Minister, a political height he has never achieved in all the years he tried to make a political mark to his name.
But it’s the controversy in him, so prevalent, that will make work in Cabinet interesting.
Already, he has been all over social media fighting back every criticism leveled against his decision to accept a cabinet portfolio in Mutharika’s government.
He has been forthright that he has joined Mutharika’s cabinet—and he is not regretting, telling off every criticism of being part of an unpopular government that, to some, has few days to be in power.
But it will be interesting to see Kamlepo in suits, in order, playing to the government cards—something he has never been.
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This looks like a move in the wrong direction, but if it is a fulfilling of a prophecy, who are we to question? He is a hard working individual and I hope he will excel in the new assignment. Many have commented that “a man has to eat” That is the kind of thinking which encourages corruption. Let us not accept corruption as a normal way of doing things. While very few are rich, the majority are just getting by. With so much thieving in DPP, development will never see the light of day. That road from Chiweta to Kamlepo’s… Read more »
Most of the people writing here dont really know who Kamlepo Kalua is! there is no way Kamlepo and Unandi can Join MCP/UTM, these people know the evils of MCP. Many who are writing against Kamlepo are doing so out of ignorance, Kamlepo is not poor, he owns a house in Namiwawa, He has been an MP this is a third time and he has accumulated income from allowances and salary that can make some one live a descent life. He has seen things that you people are not able to see in our Country and he will come and… Read more »
Nkhani ndi makobili basi. Munthu afe ndi njala mpando ulipo?
Behold …..zakale zapita ..zitayeni zimenezo ndi za kale lero ndi nduna basi… mbendera ili petu petu pa galimoto yake kkkkkk who doesn’t want good life olo muli inu kkkkkkkkk
Ask our police about the abduction issue they will tell u they are investigating. kkkkkkk.
Awa pano Maluzi, useless politician whose career has reached sunset. Goat!!
big up to him
I understand Kwacha Roundabout has been renamed Kamlepo Roundabout in honour of the Rumphi guy who voluntarily spent a night there seeking people’s sympathy.
Kikikikikikiki 🤣
If truth be told, Kamlepo has always been a joke. So his appointment into the cabinet has really nothing to do with him, but it speaks volumes about the mental capacity and the state of desperation of the appointing authority.
Munthu anatha uyu. Look at his shoes in the abduction picture, umphawi ndi wovuta. The problem is that he knows this is temporary position for three months so he will make sure never to get poor again. By the end of those three months he will walk away with billions in Kwachas. Poor Malawi.