Independent parliamentary candidates that won in the September 16 General Election are ambivalent on which side of the august House they will be when the National Assembly convenes.
The Nation interviewed 40 out of the 70 independent MPs-elect. Of those asked, three said they will support Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader President Peter Mutharika inside and outside Parliament despite wearing the independent hat.
On the other hand, 16 of the interviewees said they were still consulting their constituents on whether they should switch to political parties.
But 11 others said they would remain independent while four said it was too early to disclose their next political move.
Ntcheu Central’s Paul Ng’oma and Dyless Moses Mbengo of Ntcheu Dzodzi Mvai constituencies are the two MPs that said they already joined the DPP.
Former Football Association of Malawi president Walter Nyamilandu Manda, who won in Nsanje South West; and Bilal Abdul Karim of Nsanje Lalanje also said they were joining DPP.
In a WhatsApp response, Nyamilandu said: “It is a foregone conclusion that I will side with the DPP in Parliament because I am DPP to the core. No wonder I was persecuted by MCP [former governing Malawi Congress Party] for supporting DPP while I was president of the Football Association of Malawi.
“To this effect, I have already made my commitment to the vice-president of DPP responsible for the Southern Region Honourable Joseph Mwanamvekha that I will work with the mighty DPP in Parliament by advancing and supporting its motions, ideals and values.”
Former deputy minister of Health Enock Phale, who won as an independent candidate in Salima Central West constituency, said he was yet to make any decision.
“My plan is to do so [make a decision] after the swearing-in. I have planned to consult those that voted for me so that they are part of the decision,” he said on Friday.
Meanwhile, political commentators have backed independent candidates that want to join parties they belonged to before elections.
They say some were barred from contesting in primary elections while others failed in the primaries.
The commentators, Enerst Thindwa and Chimwemwe Tsitsi, said some contested as independent candidates because political parties’ primaries were not free and fair.
On his part, Thindwa said those that never showed interest to contest on a party ticket should remain independent and there is no need to consult because people voted for them as independents.
He said: “There is no need to consult. Consult for what? They were elected as independents; they should remain independent.
“If they want to join a party they should resign and go back to campaign on the ticket of the party they want to join. I think [joining a party] is a mockery to democracy.”
Tsitsi also said those that won on independent tickets because they lost in primary elections or were barred from competing can join their preferred parties.
“It wouldn’t be surprising to see such a person joining the party they wanted to contest on,” he said.
Out of the 224 constituencies whose results were confirmed by the Malawi Electoral Commission, DPP secured 78 seats.
On the other hand, independents took 70 seats followed by MCP with 53 seats while UTM Party has eight, United Democratic Front four, People’s Party and Alliance for Democracy three each. Freedom Party, National Democratic Party and People’s Development Party secured one seat each.
