Uladi calls for united front, says Mutharika cannot be defeated with fragmented opposition
Opposition Peoples Party acting president Uladi Mussa is suggesting a strong opposition party unity to field one presidential candidate in 2019 inorder to oust President Peter Mutharika from power on the ballot box in 2019 elections.
“We have not yet discussed this year as opposition partiesbut as an expert in politics who has an honarary degree, we can only oust the President from power at the ballot box only if we unite,” said Mussa in a radio program on Sunday.
Peoples Party is in political relationship with the main opposition, the Malawi Congress Party both inside and outside parliament.
Some political experts have been speculating that Peoples Party would support the presidential candidacy of Lazarus Chakwera, the Malawi Congress Party leader.
PP president and founder Joyce Banda is in self imposed exile for two years running.
Mussa said the country is facing a myriad of problems, including broken economy, persistent power blackouts, shortages of water, saying this is the reason enough to vote the Democratic Progressive Party out of power.
He accused the Mutharika administration of slowness in dealing with problems facing the country.
Mussa said the DPP can only be kicked out if the opposition unite and field one president during the 2019 presidential elections.
The DPP is in political alliance with the United Democratic Front and other political experts speculate the party will not field a presidential candidate but will instead support the candidacy of Mutharika.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of The Economist magazine says Mutharika may have an edge over the opposition but could slip if the economy worsens.
The EIU—in its 2016 second quarter forecast report for Malawi generated on June 28 2016—sees MCP leader Chakwera as Mutharika’s biggest threat with his anti-corruption platform.
“We expect Mr Mutharika to stand for re-election and, since regional affiliations ultimately determine the outcome of Malawian polls, the incumbent’s continuing popularity in the most populous Southern Region will give him an edge. The MCP and its leader, Lazarus Chakwera, will campaign on a message of anti-corruption, but it will struggle to offer any viable policy alternatives.
“Nevertheless, should an economic recovery fail to take hold prior to the polls, the MCP and Mr Chakwera stand to gain. The popularity of the previous president, Joyce Banda, will remain weak, following revelations of widespread misappropriation of public funds during her tenure,” explains the report.
Chakwera came a close second to Mutharika in the 2014 presidential race in which he swept the Central Region vote while it was the populous Southern Region vote that propelled the incumbent President to victory.
Regionalistic politics, the power of incumbency and a disorganised opposition make Mutharika the favourite, according to EIU
Mutharika disclosed that he will seek re-election.
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You can not be good leaders because it is seen already your main agenda is just to remove someone from the position not to govern the nation. When making statements remember to have an insight of what may come out later. If i were you i could only be busy telling the nation what is to be done when elected into power coz we vote based on manifesto so a mainfesto with agenda to oust the incumbent presidnet is fake. Hahahaaaaaaa ziliko!!!!
Mwayamba liti ndi macoalition anuwo,ndipo ndi coalition iti yomwe idapangapo boma? As leader of PP you should come up with a strategy to strengthen your party, not thinking about a coalition. The problem with this idea is that the leader of every opposition political party would like to be President of the coalition. Ask Gwanda Nguluwe Chikadza Chakuamba if a coalition of opposition parties he led yielded any tangible results other than disintegration. Kumeneku ndi kulephere, just be prepared to be in the opposition for ever like the opposition in Botswana. The ruling arty in Botswana has always won the… Read more »
Those who accuse MEC of rigging are stupid. What they should know is that voting in Malawi is done on Regional basis. Now looking at the population of the Regions, DPP still stands a chance to win with or without rigging. It will even have an upper hand with the merging with UDF because the South and East can make 50+1 majority come 2019 despite the economic woes. If any party wants to up stage DPP/UDF, then have leaders in strong positions from the South other wise you are just wasting time and resources. Merging MCP/PP wont make any difference… Read more »
Achimwene muli have we ever had elections in Africa when electoral bodies were not accused of rigging? Malawians lets not waste time on things that can take us no where. The bottom line is we are in multi-party system whereby among two or more contesters only and only one emerges a winner so is eminent that the loser can not accept the defeat. Woooooo malawi wanga iweeeeeee timphunzire liti kodi? Jesus one day asked his disciples, “how long will i be with you” . He was worried becoz they slow in learning at the same time were lacking some faith.… Read more »
… as an expert in politics who has an honarary degree – will somebody tell this buffoon Uladi kuti honorary degree certificate yake titha kusetela imeneyo. Matama thooo degree yopanda ntchitoyo!
In any country, voting goes along certain lines. Check in every country of your your choice. People have strongholds from where they come from and that a fact which does not make Malawi politics different to make it a problem. And if people wish for a different voting lines then are just giving themselves headache without medication. Be realistic don’t think of impossible changes. Uladi mussa was asked one good question he never asked on the Zodiak Tiuzen zoona. “You were in Government yourselves, Why didn’t you do all these suggestions” He failed to answer
Uladi what changes you will bring to us ? you more Burundian to have Malawi citizenship
the idea is fine. but the only problem is Malawi Electrol Commission Commission. If we can find ways of how to block NEC from rigging the election as it did in 2014, them Malawi will see prosperity again.