Trouble brewing in UDF: Lucius Banda faction call for Atupele ouster over alliance with DPP

Trouble is brewing in the United Democratic Front (UDF) as some members that are aligned to a faction of parliamentarian Lucius Banda are calling for the ouster of party leader Atupele Muluzi, accusing him of killing he party and allowing it to  be swallowed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) .

Joshi (left) calls for Atupele Muluzi to step down as UDF leader

The group are discussing the matter even on their Whatsapp group which Lucius Banda is also included.

Speaking on behalf of the group confirming their call for Atupele to resign, Charles Joshi told Times Radio that they want Atupele to leave the party and he continue serving his interests in government.

Atupele has, since the DPP victory in the 2014 elections, been the only UDF and opposition member in APM’s 20-member Cabinet.

DPP did not enter into negotiations with UDF as a party. Rather, the offer was to Atupele and it was made on the heels of reported talks between President Peter Mutharika and Atupele’s father, former president Bakili Muluzi.

“We want to make UDF strong but we cannot do that when the party is working with DPP,” said Joshi who failed to win parliamentary seat in Blantyre on UDF ticket during the 2014 polls.

UDF spokesman Ken Ndanga said he could not comment on the matter because the calls were not coming from its  rank and file.

“The party has its structures and we communicate our political objectives to the rank and file. Our members will always be briefed on our goals,” he said.

Since the dawn of multiparty democracy in 1994  UDF was by far the largest political party in Malawi before its then president, Bakili Muluzi took a wrong turn in the succession path.

UDF, together with Alliance for Democracy (Aford), were popular during the transition from one party State to multiparty democracy and the won the 1994 general elections defeating Malawi Congress Party (MCP),  proceeded to win another general election in 1999 and bagged 91 seats in Parliament.

The genesis of UDF’s problems date back to around 2003 when Bakili started agitating for a third term and later open terms, which flopped in Parliament where legislators narrowly rejected it.

He thus proceeded to court and eventually plucked a failed politician at the time—Bingu wa Mutharika—from political oblivion, first installing him as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) then Economic Planning and Development Minister and then he was the UDF torch-bearer in 2004.

Mutharika’s candidacy weakened UDF as senior figures  strated leaving the party–mostly to form their own—after Muluzi refused to entertain healthy competition in the party for the presidency as he opsted for his handpicked successor Bingu.

Amongst those who quit UDF were then State vice president Justin Malewezi a few months before the end of the presidential term and went ahead to launch a failed bid in May 2004 as an independent presidential candidate.

Party vice president Aleke Banda also left the party  and joined f People’s Progressive Movement (PPM).

Lhomwe belt influential  politican Brown Mpinganjira left to form his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and later returned to UDF.

Lower Shire heavy weight Harry Thomson also quit.

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falliot
falliot
7 years ago

we like the party UDF, please Lucius, consolidate power to rule the party please…..

kholes
7 years ago

Guys annthuwa ndi amodzi asieni inu mongovutika .mwanao akusamala ndalama zake onseo akunena zatupeleo satulutsa ndalama zoyendetsela chipani ayi musieni mwana adye dollar nsanje bwanji kodi?

santana
santana
7 years ago

Who is Lucius in Malawi politics? Let him start his own party and gain support from the Yao land. Lucius knows what UDF is. He should not waste time talking about a man whom he can not even match in everything. Let him start a party and weigh his following in Malawi politics not Balaka politics. Ndale simagitala iyayi.

Gerald mapanga phiri
Gerald mapanga phiri
7 years ago

Even me I voted for UDF during 1994 even though I knew very well that they will not do much like Kamuzu. I wanted just a change of leadership. In udf manifesto it was too political than real if you know politicians. They had no plan for a country except kamuzu and Chihana . But I was not expecting to destroy the country like that especially selling state own enterprises and giving people free things for elections, people became lazy

Matandani
Matandani
7 years ago

All the problems rocking Malawi politically is because of none other than so called Tcheya, he is selfish starting from the time he wanted to prolong his presidential stay. He knows his son on his own can never do anything politically. He ill advises him but mind you UDF is following the footsteps of AFORD. Kutha ngati makatani as he said. The infighting in AFORD has led to have only one MP, soon will be UDF and its just a matter of time, believe me.

Sammy
Sammy
7 years ago

Every sensible Malawian will agree that this baby called Atupele (kodi ndi wamkazi?) can never win elections. Even if he won through crooked means like his father, then that will be disastrous.

Remember the lost decade of Bakili Muluzi. Do we want a repeat of that? UDF has completely lost clout. It cannot tick on the ground. All ground structures are gone. What is left is a useless NEC, with the likes of Ndanga, Nkozomba or Nkhwazomba and mkazi wa atupeleyo. Cry for the once mighty UDF.

Thumbs up Charles Joshi!! Let the beat go on!!!

youna
youna
7 years ago

eeehh koma UDF yasosoka

Chiwiweni chinjobvu
7 years ago

Atupele ndi galu munthuyi amamva zayekha. vuto lopanga impose anthu mumaudindo ndilimeneri ndipo zilibwino zedi munthu akakhala mbatata zimavuta kumuongola kwake.. Atule pansi udindo ameneyu

Chesigele
Chesigele
7 years ago

Baby dad’s boy he can’t do anything buy him self,

Gogodasi
Gogodasi
7 years ago

Muluzi sold off the UDF to DPP in exchange for his personal freedom, to be exempted from prosecution for the suspected embezzlement of MK1.7b. Every Malawian knows this. If there was a an honest deal between DPP and UDF, there could have been at least three or ministers form DPP, why just one and Atupele Muluzi? Lucius Banda is right to demand Atupele’s ouster.

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