Barely one week after governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) hinted at positive progress in its electoral coalition talks with United Democratic Front (UDF), the latter’s president Atupele Muluzi has insisted UDF will go it alone.
Speaking during a whistle-stop rally at Makhetha in Blantyre on Saturday, he said he will present his presidential nomination papers to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) when the window opens from July 24 to 30.
“Everyday people are spreading lies that I have gone to MCP. But do not be discouraged because I will stand as president in the election and I am going to win,” he said.
MCP deputy secretary general Gerald Kazembe told The Nation that talks for an alliance between his party and UDF were at an advanced stage.
But when contacted yesterday following Atupele’s remarks, Kazembe said UDF was an independent entity, as such, MCP cannot be drawn to comment on the remarks.
He also said official announcements on any alliance will be announced before the presentation of presidential nomination papers to MEC.
In a separate interview yesterday, UDF secretary general Genarino Lemani said Atupele’s statement represented the position of UDF to go it alone in the September 16 2025 General Election.
However, he did not rule out possible alliance with other parties ahead of the presentation of nomination forms.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, political analyst Ernest Thindwa said Atupele’s sentiments could indicate that what he wanted from a possible alliance with MCP has not materialised and that the only option is to go it alone.
He said going it alone would also enable UDF to assess the size of its electoral appeal.
“The UDF is less likely to win but determining the electoral size of the party is important for the survival of the party and for negotiations in future elections,” said Thindwa.
In this year’s general election, a candidate needs to reach the 50- percent-plus-one vote threshold to win the presidency as interpreted by the five-judge panel of the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court in 2020 and upheld by a seven-judge Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal.
