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Malawi’s opposition strategises for 2014

Fourteen opposition political parties have revived the idea of forming a grand coalition in an attempt to unseat the People’s Party (PP) during the forthcoming 2014 general elections.

The Nation has learnt that the parties met in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, last Thursday to discuss political developments and map the way forward on the alliance.

During the meeting, the parties reportedly argued that people have no confidence in the PP administration led by President Joyce Banda who ascended to the presidency in April after the death of president Bingu wa Mutharika, said George Nnensa, interim leader of the 14 parties.

But PP secretary general Henry Chibwana on Thursday argued it is not strange that the opposition is strategising for 2014.

“Competition is good. It makes one better, so that there is no forgone conclusion,” he said.

But Nnensa said: “After Joyce Banda came into power, we wanted to give her space to see how she could move the economy. However, right now we can see that people are unhappy with the way things are going.

“There is no economic space in terms of direction. We are already having shortage of forex. We had put so much hope on donors and the donors are growing cold feet in terms of supporting Malawi, which means there is something going wrong.”

He said as opposition political parties, they have decided to give an alternative where some opposition parties, excluding the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), resolved to come up with an alliance.

Nnensa said the parties formed a task force to organise a national conference scheduled to take place within a month or two.

He denied that veteran politician Gwanda Chakuamba of New Republican Party (NRP) and Kamlepo Kalua of Malawi Democratic Party (MDP), who are campaigning for PP candidates in Mzimba by-elections slated for October 9, have ditched the opposition grand alliance.

Chakuamba and Kamlepo were special guests of Vice-President Khumbo Kachali in Mzimba South West Constituency at a campaign rally.

Nnensa said Chakuamba and Kalua are supporting PP candidates in Mzimba because they do not have their own. He said Kamlepo assured him that he (Kamlepo) is still with the opposition.

But Kalua, in an interview on Thursday, said he is now working with PP up to 2014 and beyond.

“We will be with them [PP], campaigning for them and also trying to put our case on economic recovery policy so that we advance how poor people can be assisted,” he said.

Kalua blamed the opposition for criticising the Banda administration too soon.

Chakuamba was not immediately available for comment (as he is reportedly outside the country).

DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi asked for time to consult his party on the grand coalition idea but Nnensa said they have not yet approached DPP.

Ken Ndanga, UDF deputy publicity secretary, said they are not part of the grand alliance coalition, but said the party has information that some individuals are attending meetings towards that cause.

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