Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has declared that if it goes into an electoral alliance with any political party in the September 16 General Election its president Peter Mutharika will be the torchbearer.
In a statement signed by spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, the former governing party also dispelled suggestions that UTM Party president Dalitso Kabambe was poised to lead an alliance that will include DPP.
Reads the statement in part: “We want to make it clear that allegations of Kabambe being selected to lead an alliance are completely groundless.
“Additionally, the insinuations that His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, the former president of the Republic of Malawi and president of Democratic Progressive Party, is incapable of running for President due to health concerns are utterly unfounded.”
The DPP’s reaction comes against a background of reports that the DPP leader was considering Kabambe, who served as Reserve Bank of Malawi governor during his tenure and later joined DPP before ditching it for UTM, to lead the alliance. There were also suggestions that Alliance for Democracy (Aford) president Enock Chihana would also join the pact.
DPP secretary general Peter Mukhito is also on record to have told a rally in Kasungu that the party was engaged in electoral alliance talks with several parties, including UTM.
But the DPP statement further said those propagating the assertions were the same people who advocated for the Age Limit Bill which was purportedly aimed to prevent Mutharika, 84, from running for the presidency.
Reads the statement: “Regardless of any alliances, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika will be our party’s presidential candidate.
“The decision for who will be running mate to His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is solely up to him, considering the best interests of our party and Malawi.”
But UTM secretary general Willet Kalonga, in an interview yesterday, expressed surprise with the DPP sentiments, saying his party has never been in any talks with the DPP on any alliance issue.
“I have never heard or been part of alliance negotiations with the DPP. I don’t know of any such talks,” he said.
In the statement Namalomba said some individuals have intentionally been spreading deceptive propaganda in pursuit of their own personal agendas.
In a separate inter v i ew, Namalomba could not tell whether the UTM was party to alliance negotiations with the DPP, insisting that “Professor Mutharika will lead and decide on his running mate. That is non-negotiable”.
Meanwhile, Aford president Enock Chihana confirmed that talks with the DPP were underway.
He said: “I can confirm about ongoing talks, but on who is going to lead, we have to sit and talk.”
Governance pundit George Chaima said it was obvious that Mutharika would be a torchbearer if any party goes into an alliance with DPP.
On his part, Gift Sambo, an expert in legislative and electoral politics, said DPP is an attractive destination for most opposition parties after the recent Afrobarometer survey indicated that it was at the top in terms of popularity.
Malawi will go to the polls on September 16 2025 to elect a Pres i d ent, 229 member s of Parliament and 509 ward councillors.
