PP favour alliance with MCP:  Joyce Banda to withdraw from presidential race

People’s Party (PP) national executive committee (NEC) members are meeting at the residence of former president Joyce Banda to discuss a possible electoral combination with Malawi Congress Party (MCP)  to compete as one force in the coming elections continue, Nyasa Times understands.

Joyce Banda has let PP national executive committee members to meet and discuss as about electoral coalition in the coming elections

There has been speculation that Banda would pull out of presidential race with her running mate Dr Jerry Jana to pave way for an opposition coalition.

Banda invited PP executive members to a meeting to discuss the electoral combination.

Nyasa Times understand that the former president has had talks this week with UTM party patron Noel Masangwi persuading her party to return to negotiating table with  the Vice President Saulos Chilima and UTM party for an alliance.

She is also reported to have had discussion with MCP presidential flag bearer Lazarus Chakwera for a long time on working together in the elections.

During the NEC meeting, Banda has left the members with the two issues to discuss.

However, following the breakdown of an earlier working relationship with UTM, the members are favouring MCP partnership.

Banda has maintained that opposition parties should select a joint candidate in this year’s presidential election to unseat President Peter Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and that she would be ready to “turn the page” and let a formidable candidate lead.

If this happens, that alliance could pose the most credible challenge to President Mutharika, the flag bearer of the ruling DPP.

Banda, who served as Malawi’s first female president from 2012 to 2014, has said she is prepared not to run and back the electoral alliance for Malawi to “have a good leader who is able to decisively deal with various problems the country if facing.”

She said  a coalition “should be the best option” as has been the case in many countries.

Banda ‘s PP  can make a strong showing in the northern and eastern regions, while MCP has support in central region stronghold and now southern Lower Shire with its running mate Sidik Mia .

New party UTM of Chilima has never been politically tested despite having high profile personalities in his party.

Political commentators say political coalitions must be for Malawi’s, pointing out that votes on May 21 2019  are likely to be fragmented with no real majority winner.

Zomba-based Institute of Public Opinion and Research (Ipor)  in a survey between August and September 2018 indicated DPP is poised to take 33 percent of the votes, followed by MCP with 31 percent and UTM Party with 28 percent and PP trailing a distant six percent.

It therefore makes sense that opposition parties aiming to unseat the current government opt for an alliance as PP would boost MCP numbers to cross the line. Former vice president Khumbo Kachali and his Freedom Party are already in support of MCP presidential ticket.

University of Malawi’s Chancellor College-based political commentator Ernest Thindwa has observed that opposition parties “stand better to benefit a lot from an electoral coalition.”

Social commentator Stanley Onjezani Kenani  is on record to have posted on Facebook: “I think the former president, Mrs Joyce Banda, is the only voice of reason in a crowded opposition field. She says she is open to the idea of a coalition. She does not mind who leads it. The truth is, the murderous DPP can only be defeated if the opposition rallies behind one candidate. But egos the size of Kilimanjaro will, once again, hand victory to thieves.”

Malawi, one of the world’s poorest and most aid-dependent countries, will hold presidential, parliamentary and local council elections on May 21.

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Gerald Mapanga Phiri
Gerald Mapanga Phiri
5 years ago

Both of them they could not win the election but now they put ruling party in a back foot. Ruling will regret 50+ and federal system of Government they rejected. Its the time they could benifits now if they did put greedy aside

Morbid
Morbid
5 years ago

So all she wants is a position?? and for positions for her family members?? And they gave her just that… wow. Chakwera can’t stand on his own two feet then. He doesn’t work well under pressure.. the country will then collapse under his rule. After all there are a whole bunch of cashgaters he just gave power.. a lot of power. We need to vote for someone better

Yagwa chagada PP
Yagwa chagada PP
5 years ago

Tsono H5 ndi Mphambvu zithat bwanji kikikikikikikik, ……..Mwalephela kukhala nzimayi sichifukwa??? ….. Abiti Mtila mwachepa

Yatitimira
Yatitimira
5 years ago

I thought Mr Chakwera was a principled individual until now, MCP yabooka zedi, ingotolera ziri zonse

Mphambvu
Mphambvu
5 years ago

Good MCP ride on PP until May 21st muzaona chochita

Gertrude
Gertrude
5 years ago

hmmmmmmmm with only 2 months to go, Abiti Mtila must be extremely desperate, will do anything for her son Roy Akajuwe Banda, So what happens to Mr Jana

Namaseko
Namaseko
5 years ago

Nothing to write home about, just shows how power hungry Jezebel is

Ngongoliwa
Ngongoliwa
5 years ago

Mama ulemu wanu. We need a formidable force to fight and restore Malawi from this Phillistian. We expect the same from Chlima.
Wakwiya ndi mfiti.

dj zoo
dj zoo
5 years ago
Reply to  Ngongoliwa

wakwiyadi amadya ma pamper

Mphamvu !
Mphamvu !
5 years ago

MCP yaphweka kikikikikikikiki matolatola!

Mangochi kabwafu
Mangochi kabwafu
5 years ago

Useless

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