UDF demand convention as Lance Mbewe eyes presidency to topple Atupele
United Democratic Front (UDF) president Atupele Muluzi is facing pressure from some district committee members to convene an extraordinary national conference with reports that the party vice-president for the South, Lance Mbewe is canvassing to be its next leader to move UDF forward and cut its partnership with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
In a letter dated August 31, addressed to Muluzi and copied to secretary general Kandi Padambo, the members say the conference must be called in line with Article 10 of the UDF constitution to address several issues.
In the letter, the members claim that the party is in a sorry state with all structures at grassroots level in disarray, non-functional or non-existent.
Both Muluzi and Padambo acknowledged having received the letter, which was signed by, among others, district committee chairpersons, secretaries, treasurers and youth committee chairpersons, mostly from Rumphi District.
Reads in part the letter: “Certain decisions taken by NEC [national executive committee] in recent times, such as the working relationship with the DPP [Democratic Progressive Party], was never fully supported by a majority of our membership. It has made us lose confidence in this NEC and the leadership.”
The members have since given Muluzi 14 days to respond or face unspecified action.
The concerned members further state that since 2013, the members only met occasionally to plan the affairs of the party.
Muluzi said UDF is consulting widely and “will hold a convention in the near future.”
Meanwhile, UDF members have indicated that Lance Mbewe is seeking support among party members to run for the presidential seat during the conference and move to rebuild UDF.
In the Holy Bible there’s a verse that says “Mkazi opusa amamasula banja lake ndi manja ake”. I always think of what Bakili Muluzi did to the once formidable UDF Party every time I read this Bible verse. Up until 2003, UDF was a vibrant national political movement with a bright future ahead of it. But Bakili took the dubious title of “Political Engineer” bestowed on him by his praise singers rather too seriously and believed that he was the best political strategist in the country. On the contrary, history has shown that Bakili is probably one of the most… Read more »
Atupele lacks charisma. Lacks vigor and energy. Lacks party leadership abilities. He is very weak! He can sell out at any time. The catch is that his father owns the UDF party. So he himself practically owns the party. Him and his father are financeers of the party. How you push him aside and still have the party is beyond me!
Matani anatha tsono mwaika masaka mmawindo athanso chasala mungowaka kutseka mawindo onse no curtain chipani cha udf chinatha
Mr Atupere has not paid back the money thus taxpayers money back .Please wait for him to settle it
Kodi munamvapo kuti “Kuchoka m’basin kukagwa m’lichelo”? That’s what will happen to UDF if the Atupele/Lance Mbewe story is true. UDF needs a leader with Umf, not these kindergartens.
Its time to move on with Malawi democracy. The issue here is we need a new Malawi za zipani zakumagazi zichoke si zaufumu izi. Ler anyone leadand contest in every positionof te Party for Clarity sake Atu.. nde waononga chipani ndi dyera lako. Palibe waphulako ku DPP. I wish unamangoyenda wekha monga anachitira a MCP achina dPP bwenzi makujoyina iweyo udf wanga kkkkk
kaya ndi Atupele kaya ndi Lance kaya ndi a msaka kaya ndi UDF kaya ndi DPP isokhe