Independent presidential candidates and some parties visibly missing from the campaign trail for the September 16 General Election have said they are using other means instead of holding rallies to woo voters.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) launched the 60-day official campaign period on July 14 and it will close on September 14. To date, it is the governing Malawi Congress Party, opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), People’s Party (PP), UTM Party, United Democratic Front (UDF) and Odya Zake Alibe Mlandu (Ozam) that have been seen criss-crossing the country promoting their policies.
Conspicuously missing from the campaign trail are parties such as People’s Development Party (PDP), Patriotic Citizens Party (PCP), National Development Party (NDP), People’s Transformation Party (Petra) and Anyamata, Atsikana, Azimayi (AAA) as well as independents Adil Chilungo, Milward Tobias, Thokozani Banda, Cosmas Chiponjola, Phunziro Mvula and Smart Swira.
to MEC in Lilongwe last month. | Nation
But in separate interviews on how they are mobilising voters for next month’s polls, the parties and candidates said they are equally active on the ground, but using other strategies.
In an interview yesterday, PDP publicity secretary Rhodes Msonkho said apart from strategies such as door to door to woo voters, his party will launch its manifesto and official campaign in Blantyre on Sunday that will be followed by massive campaign rallies.
“We came to do things differently. We are bringing a people-centred manifesto which is honest and practical. As we are talking now, we have done a tremendous progress on the ground and we are optimistic that we will win this year’s election,” he said.
On his part, Chilungo said he has been to Machinga and Mangochi engaging farmers, traders and women groups to promote his manifesto and show them how he will address their challenges.
He conceded that his campaign efforts have been limited and attributed the situation to limited resources.
“The strategy I am using is effective because I speak to the people’s minds and I am confident of reaching about three million out of the 7.2 million registered voters,” said Chilungo.
In a separate interview, Tobias, an economist, said he has spread his teams nationwide to campaign for him.
He said besides the teams, he is also using community radio broadcasts to articulate his manifesto launched in December 2024.
Tobias said he believes that his strategy is working and expressed optimism that he will win or he will come second in the presidential elections and go for the rerun.
On her part, NDP running mate Chikondi Mpokosa said her party is also holding village to village meetings nationwide and plans to conduct whistle stop rallies in the country’s four regions towards the end of the campaign period.
AAA presidential candidate Akwame Bandawe said he will launch his campaign with a mass rally next week. While Swira said he is preparing to launch his campaign, but could not indicate the dates.
Commenting on the strategies, political analyst Gift Sambo said the current electoral system is hostile towards “smaller” parties, leading some candidates to take a lukewarm approach.
He said some of the candidates find it irrational to invest huge resources in a game that promises no hope of winning.
“These parties will end up endorsing the candidature of major parties as the country nears the polling day,” said Sambo, an expert in legislative and electoral politics.
A recent Institute of Public Opinion and Research survey showed that DPP presidential candidate Peter Mutharika as favourite with 43 percent, followed by incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party at 26 percent.
Malawians go to the polls to vote for President, 229 members of Parliament and 509 ward councillors.
