Malawi small parties band together: PP, Aford join ‘Tikonze Dziko Lathu’ coalition
Opposition political parties not represented in Parliament have roped in former governing People’s Party (PP) of Joyce Banda and Alliance for Democracy (Aford) to be part of a coalition to be called Tikonze Dziko Lathu and field one presidential candidate joint candidate in next year’s presidential election.
Chairperson of the opposition grouoin. Langton Chasowa, has said they will call for a convention with allocation of equal votes to all the parties in the election of the joint presidential candidate and runningmate.
“Our view is that we must have a grand coalition of democrats. We must have a grand strategy around making a broad alliance possible. So yes we are reaching out and we are extending our hand of engagement to others including the Chilima Movement,” said Chasowa who is interim president of Republican Party (RP).
Political commentators have said The opposition alliance of small parties is not expected to make a serious impact in the forthcoming polls.
University of Malawi political scientist Happy Kayuni has said the alliance could pose the most credible challenge to President Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) if it worked with a party that controls significant number of followers and is well organised like Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Joyce Banda’s PP can make a strong showing in her Nkhatabay stronghold and Zomba Malosa but not much elsewhere, while People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) Mark Katsonga has support in Mwanza.
On the other hand, the George Nnesa’s Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (MAFUNDE), United Transformation Party of Newton Kambala, the Alliance for Development and Democracy (ADD) of former Vice-President Dr Cassim Chilumpha and the Peoples Transformation Party (PETRA) of Kamuzu Chibambo , are all based in urban centres where they are very unlikely to win parliamentary seats.
Chancellor College political science lecturer Mustafa Hussein said there was no problem for former President Joyce Banda and PP to enter into an opposition electoral colation.
“It is one way of strengthening the party. Although these others are called small parties, but they have ideas, policies that may have impact on the political scene. So, together they bring in all their strength and may enjoy the synergy effect,” he said.
Hussein said PP already has a national appeal and they can build on the same by roping in “smaller parties” which may boost their morale and put up a good competition.
Malawi’s leading daily newspaper , The Nation, on Wednesday through is editorial comment welcomed the coalition , saying the arrangement to field one presidential candidate reducing the risk of confusing the electorate.
“Malawians are waiting for a concrete take-home message, a message of hope. They need clarity,” the paper said.
It noted that most aspiring presidential candidates are falling short in spelling out why Malawians should entrust them with thier vote .
“Several other aspirants, including some outside the proposed coalition, have been there before and failed to impress. Our free advice is that they should package solid messages and avoid making the same mistakes. Once bitten, twice shy,” reads the editorial in conclusion.
According to Banda, Malawi is now a “fragile nation” under President Muthariks because upon her return from from four-year exile she has found that the hardships she left in 2014 have now multiplied 10 times.
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Oooh God please Remove the scales of blindness from the eyes of my fellow MALAWIANS so that we can see that BUSHIRI IS the only Answer to the hardships the country is facing otherwise We will regret /suffer like never before in human history
PLEASE CSOS PAC CHIEFS CHURCH LEADERS CHIEFS PARENTS YOUTHS INVITE BUSHIRI TO COME AND HELP GOVERN THE COUNTRY AS WAS THE CASE WITH KAMUZU
THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN IS NOW
MAY GOD BLESS OUR LAND
Inu a Joisi Banda, m’malo mokonza dziko mwafuna muzawonongenso kuposa nthawi ija munali Pulezidenti.
Any Party, small or not, would have to be suicidal to team up with the disgraced Abiti Joisi Banda and her (recorded) thieving PP. Any Party undertaking that adventure risks the ignominy of the association.
PP is the largest of the “briefcase” Parties in Malawi, and it wants to trick the others, and gain an upper hand and a bit of credibility. Zipani zinazo zinachenjeranso.
You political scientists/experts amaze me. Do you honestly believe a president could come out of the so-called coalition? Even Joyce Banda is already a miserable loser. At least Kayuni has written some sense, I.e, they should pair with a party that commands national following like MCP. Otherwise all the efforts being made by thee Mickey Mouse parties boil down to nothing else but GREED.
Wise comment, all these small parties should join MCP if they really care about malawians, otherwise you can all fuck off
Zodiak get set with debatesdebates. Cannt wait
To a larger extent our media in Malawi contribute a lot to our dysfunctional democracy. Look, up to now despite all the evidence to the contrary, a president who was in government for less than 2yrs and coincidentally grand corruption was exposed during her time is solely blamed for the vice.. Really? Naivety!!! For any credible person who has worked at least at the level controlling officer, the 1st 6 months at the office are basically orientation period. Up to 12 months anyamata ochenjera pa office amatha kukupinda. Blaming JB for the corruption entirely is like not wanting to see… Read more »
tye nazoni. What we want is ur money tidye nawo basi. mwasowa nazo chochita. Anthu osamva inu. Where is Mgirizano Coalition. Fotseki.
Now PP has accepted that it is one of the small and insignificant parties. Ngati chipani chaching’ono chingabe chonchija, nanga chikakula?
@Paradgin Shift. What will he be saying when he is still palming himself with the fat purse of the second in command. Or he has realized that not all catholics will be for him as he thought before his press briefing. Die-hard wa MCP angagomere Chilima just because of Catholicism. Kamuzu was overwhelmingly voted in 1994 in the central region including catholics despite the 1992 pastoral letter. Chilima will regret if he joins the race.
Skc will wake up one day for a surprise
The biggest challenge of Malawi politics is the lack of political messaging. Ordinarily manifestos are written for compliance with governance and not so much thought is put into crafting such; and yet this is where investment should be made. At this stage no one in Malawi knows what the political parties stand for in terms of ideology, policies and associated implementation strategies are not well articulated. In fact, things are so bad that most of the political leaders don’t know how to speak with one common ideological voice other kutukwana. Political parties parties need to be very clear on pro-poor… Read more »
Akhungu kulondolerana njira!!!!!!!?