MCP rules out alliance for 2014

Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has ruled out any alliance in the coming elections on the basis that the party could be smeared with current reports of abuse of public funds by the PP and its predecessor the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila said in an interview this week that the party’s national executive committee (NEC) resolved to go it alone after observing that an alliance would be problematic looking at the crop of political parties available.

However, the ruling People’s Party (PP) says it may consult on the possibility of an electoral alliance for the 2014 elections as well as the issue of the party’s running mate  if the party’s presidential candidate Joyce Banda asks the party for input.

According to PP, State Vice-President Khumbo Kachali, is not an automatic running mate because, as per the party’s constitution, powers to choose a running mate are vested in the presidential candidate.

PP’s secretary general (SG) Paul Maulidi said the party is currently concentrating on registration of voters and encouraging people to go and register.

Asked about a possible electoral alliance with any opposition party, Maulidi said, that, too, has never been discussed, but he said PP was not ruling it out.

United Democratic Front (UDF) has also disclosed the issue of a running mate has never featured at any of its National Executive Committee (Nec) meetings, adding it is a prerogative of the presidential candidate to choose a running mate.

UDF publicity secretary Ken Ndanga said the party would not enter into any coalition for the sake of it, but would look at the agenda of such a coalition.

But he said the issue has never featured at any of the party’s Nec meetings or any other meeting.

DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi also said the party has not discussed the running mate issue: “We are busy strengthening our party. We are going to meet to discuss primaries for our councillors and parliamentary aspirants.”

Asked if vesting power in the presidential candidate to choose a running mate was best practice in a democracy, a political scientist Augustine Magolowondo said from a practical point of view, such a system allows a presidential candidate to choose somebody they may work with without problems.

Magolowondo said Malawi’s system of electing a president together with their vice gives voters a chance to vote for a particular team or not, unlike in other countries where a winning presidential candidate appoints a vice-president.

Meanwhile, the party’s president Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Friday told the press that if voted into power next year, his party will re-investigate the looting of public funds at Capital Hill to catch allegedly shielded “big fish” and close all implicated banks.

“All the beneficiaries to the cash-gate will be re-investigated and be brought to book. Banks involved in the scandal, will be investigated and closed down when found aiding and abating the money laundering activities that the cash-gate scandal has created,” said  Chakwera.