Battle for 2025 begins

Less than two years after the Tonse Alliance assumed power, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) top gurus have endorsed President Lazarus Chakwera as the party’s torchbearer in the 2025 polls.

However, a political analyst has described the move as a recipe for disaster.

MCP vice-president Harry Mkandawire told party supporters in the Northern Region on Sunday that the party has decided to have Chakwera as their presidential candidate in the next elections.

He said: “Malawi Congress Party has made a decision that we want Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to be our presidential candidate. There is nothing to hide.”

The sentiments have raised questions as to what became of the nine-member Tonse Alliance in which UTM Party leader Saulos Chilima partnered Chakwera to be Vice-President on the presidential ticket.

In a telephone interview yesterday, MCP spokesperson Maurice Munthali confirmed Mkandawire’s statement, saying it represents the stand of MCP and that other partners in the alliance are also free to declare their interest.

He said: “What the deputy president was saying is what he feels is good for MCP and MCP is happy with that because the alliance did not come or was not established to kill individual parties in the alliance. This is why during by-elections, every party is allowed to field a candidate.

“I must emphasise that the other parties are very free to make their own positions because the deputy president was only making a position for MCP and this has nothing to do with other parties.”

But political commentator Humphrey Mvula said Mkandawire’s statement is unfortunate and smacks of immaturity.

He said Chakwera needs the support of all parties to deliver what the Tonse Alliance promised Malawians.

Mvula said: “Chakwera needs a stable government to deliver on Tonse promises. Mkandawire’s statement may antagonise alliance partners. What will happen if UTM or PP supporters start campaigning for their candidates?

“This is quite unnecessary. If Mkandawire wanted to buy favours, he is literally putting the President in an awkward situation. The President needs his partners to run the government.”

Political analyst Ernest Thindwa said his reading of the situation shows that the MCP is trying to make a statement that they will field a candidate regardless of the existing alliance.

He said this move is not surprising considering that the agreement between Chakwera and Chilima has been kept out of public sight and some MCP gurus may want to exploit the situation to gain favours from the President.

“Fronting Chakwera’s name is not surprising. Some people may want to buy favours from the powers that be. The challenge, however, is that the agreement between Chakwera and Chilima has not been made public and others would want to use this for personal gain. It is all about seeking attention,” said Thindwa.

Asked if this could create division in the alliance, Thindwa said in the absence of information on what was agreed between the two leaders, it would not be easy to tell if the statement from MCP has any implication on the alliance.

UTM Party spokesperson Frank Mwenifumbo yesterday said Mkandawire’s sentiments have no consequence on their party because it is internal to MCP.

He said UTM Party’s focus is on supporting the Tonse government to deliver in the interest of Malawians.

“We will continue to bolster the cordial relationship which was founded at the signing of the alliance so that Malawi attains the much-needed socio-economic growth. We will, therefore, not lose focus with the furore of 2025 Presidential Election.

“We, the UTM, place our full confidence in the judgement of Malawians who shall guide us on events leading to 2025,” Mwenifumbo said.

On his part, People’s Party (PP) spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda said the party remains supportive of the Tonse agenda and that at the right time, they will decide how to approach the next election.

Meanwhile, Alliance for Democracy (Aford), one of the alliance partners, has also indicated that it will field its own presidential candidate in 2025.

Last Wednesday, Aford had a meeting with its directors in Lilongwe’s Area 43 where it was agreed that the party should compete in the next presidential election.

Aford president Enoch Chihana confirmed that his party has resolved to field a candidate in the next presidential poll as the party is ready to govern and is currently working on its manifesto.

“Why should Aford exist if we cannot afford to field a candidate? Then we must stop being a political party. Does someone really expect us to always support others?” he asked.

The Tonse administration, led by Chakwera and Chilima, dislodged the former governing Democratic Progressive Party in the June 23 2020 Fresh Presidential Election.

In 2019, MEC declared  Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) winner of the presidential race in the May 21 Tripartite Elections with 1 940 709 votes or 38.57 percent.

He was trailed by Chakwera with 1 781 740 votes (35.41 percent) while Chilima came third with 1 018 369 votes or 20.24 percent.

However, Chilima and Chakwera filed petitions in court seeking nullification of the results over alleged irregularities, which the courts granted and the two partnered in the June 23 2020 poll.