Usi Omission From Presidential Debate Ignites Outrage: “Why Ignore Malawi’s Most Popular Candidate Now?”
Malawians have erupted in anger following the shocking decision by the Presidential Debate Committee to exclude Michael Usi, leader of Odya Zake Alibe Mlandu, from tomorrow’s highly anticipated 2025 Presidential Debate at BICC in Lilongwe.
While the Committee confirmed that only candidates from MCP, DPP, UDF, PP, and UTM will feature, many citizens say the debate will lack credibility without Usi — the man they insist is currently the most popular and relatable contender for State House.
On social media, the fury is loud and unfiltered. One frustrated citizen, Mzakwacha Waku Rumphi, wrote: “Tamuítaneni Manganya alinazo zambiri zofuna kuyankhula abale” (Invite Manganya, he has so much to say, brothers). Another, Bob Rob, demanded: “Odya zake kulibe bwanji?” (How come Odya Zake is not there?). And Frank P Mapemba echoed the frustration: “Nde Odya Zake mwamusíya kut??” (So where have you left Odya Zake??).
These sentiments mirror a nationwide outcry that the Committee is sidelining the very candidate who has captured the nation’s mood. Critics argue that Usi’s fearless tone, energetic campaign trail, and ability to connect directly with ordinary people have turned him into a formidable political force.
“This debate without Usi is incomplete. He is the one candidate who speaks truth to power without fear or favour,” one Facebook user lashed out. “Silencing him is silencing Malawians.”
Analysts warn the omission risks discrediting the debates altogether. “If the point of the debates is to reflect the true political pulse, then excluding Usi is a serious miscalculation. Right now, he is the pulse of the people,” argued one political commentator.
Chairperson of the Debate Committee, Golden Matonga, has yet to respond to the uproar. Meanwhile, Usi himself is on the campaign trail, relentlessly moving across Malawi, winning over both rural and urban voters with his engaging, relatable style.
But one fact now looms large: Malawians are no longer whispering his name — they are shouting it. And tomorrow, if he remains absent from the debate stage, the loudest voice in the room may not come from the candidates inside BICC, but from the streets outside.