Malawi flagship paper Times savages new Freedom Party of ex-veep Kachali

Malawi’s flagship daily newspaper, The Daily Times, on Thursday  publishing a bitingly critical editorial that savaged a new political party – Freedom Party – by former vice-president Khumbo Kachali to be launched on a date yet to be announced.

It said Constitutionally, Kachali is exercising his right  of freedom of association.

But accused the former vice president of “greed”, saying it  is doubtful whether the formation of Kachali’s Freedom Party is guided by political ideologies that focus on meeting human needs and building national identity and the country’s prosperous economy.

“Leaders should be willing to stand for and champion agendas that advance the national interest not personal, regional or tribal interests,” reads the editorial.

The paper said Malawi needs parties which are based on broad political values and ideologies as well as specific policy programmes rather than narrow ethnic, racial or regional concerns.

While serving as State Vice-President during the Joyce  Banda regime, Kachali had quit Peoples Party with only few days to the May 20 Tripartite Elections.

Banda left out Kachali as a running mate and opted for Industry and Trade Minister Sosten Gwengwe – the presidential ticket that flopped miserably.

Banda and Kachali were expelled from  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)in December 2010 for allegedly forming parallel party structures. However, the two were on record as having said their dismissal was because they refused to endorse the presidential candidature of current DPP leader Peter Mutharika.

In April 2012, Banda ascended to the presidency in line with constitutional order after the death of former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika and picked Kachali as her Vice-President.