As UTM Party gears up for its elective convention next month, political analysts have described the crowded race for the party’s president as a sign of thriving intraparty democracy.
The party is set to hold its convention on November 17 in Mzuzu but exactly a month before the day six individuals have already declared their interests to vie for the presidency.
These are party leader and the country’s Vice-President Michael Usi, incumbent secretary general Patricia Kaliati, former Minister of Energy Newton Kambala and Engineer-cum-motivational speaker Matthews Mtumbuka.
Others are former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Dalitso Kabambe as well as the party’s national director of youth Fredo Penjani Kalua commonly known as Fredokiss who declared his intention two days ago.
Political and governance expert George Chaima observed that the overwhelming number of presidential hopefuls was a demonstration of democracy within the party where individuals would contest without restrictions.
So far UTM is the only political party whose top position will be contested.
The other five political parties namely Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF), Peoples Party (PP) and Alliance for Democracy (Aford) used the conventions to merely endorse their presidents.
But Chaima said UTM presidency’s huge number of contestants could be a sign that it has no suitable candidate whom the members could unilaterally support.
On his part, political analyst Victor Chipofya Jnr observed that the competition in the party demonstrates democratic ideals which “is what should have ideally been happening in all other political parties”.
He, however, said the status quo with other political parties was different due to the founder-syndrome, which is prevalent and restrains many hopefuls.
But another political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche noted that the competition in UTM would ensure that the convention winner would be a deserving contender to represent it during the 2025 General Elections.
“However, the negative side is that once their candidate loses some followers may not support the eventual winner and the risk is that the party will be divided into factions, although the winner has the responsibility to ensure all of them are brought together,” he said.
Unlike other political parties that imposed criterion for aspirants to have been members for a specified period to be eligible for election, UTM has none hence the coming in of outsiders like Kabambe and Mtumbuka.
