With collection of nomination papers for the September 16 General Election starting next month and analysis showing no outright presidential winner, political parties are still averse to building alliances early to get over 50 percent of the vote.
As parties procrastinate, analysts said yesterday that the entities still face the bitter reality of political alliances to increase chances of an outright presidential win and warn that bargaining power may wane after September 16 depending on electoral performance.
Moreover, the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act (PPLGEA-(2023) stipulates that candidates cannot change for the second round unless in case of death, disqualification or incapacitation.
Yet, all the major parties we talked to yesterday said they had not initiated any formal alliance talks with competitors.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson Jessie Kabwila, whose party has seen the bulk of its partners in the last election leaving her grouping, said: “We have not discussed the issue of alliances.”
She did not take any further questions on whether MCP will join forces with other parties or go it alone.
MCP led the nine-member Tonse Alliance whose candidate Lazarus Chakwera defeated incumbent Peter Mutharika with 58.57 percent of the vote in the June 2020 court-sanctioned fresh presidential election. Mutharika had partnered one time ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) in that poll.
UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala confirmed background discussions with other undisclosed parties, saying almost all parties were talking to each other, but there was nothing concrete yet.
“This does not mean that every discussion will amount to a decision. For us, the issue is not who leads the alliance, but what the alliance wants to achieve. If you agree, then we look at the best person who can help us achieve those goals. We will look at a candidate with capacity.
“For example, Tonse Alliance had a vision, but we featured a candidate who could not implement the dream. We featured a candidate because a party was big and had more members of Parliament [MPs]. We want to avoid that this time around,” said Njawala.
Peoples Party (PP) publicity secretary Ackson Kalaile Banda said their main interest is not in partnership or alliances for their sake, but on delivering to Malawians.
“We have the trust in our party president [Joyce Banda] to lead because we know her capabilities when it comes to running government. Talks with other political parties cannot fail. There have been some engagements, of course, with some political parties on possible alliances, but as I have said, as a party, our trust is in our president to lead,” he said.
Alliance for Democracy (Aford) leader Enoch Chihana said while their relationship with all other parties was cordial and open to alliance talks, Aford remained cautious.
“We want to do things step by step, but also have to be cautious so that we get into a long lasting alliance. All parties are talking, loosely.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Shadric Namalomba neither picked up calls, nor answered messages.
Section 35 (6)(iii) of the PPLGEA (2023) states that before the second presidential poll is conducted, the Commission shall, by notice published in the Gazette, notify the public that a fresh election shall be conducted within such period as shall be stipulated in the notice.
It is more clearly under Section 80 (2) of the Constitution which stipulates that “…a second poll shall be held within sixty days after the declaration of the result in which the candidates who obtained the highest votes cast in the first poll shall be the only candidates.”
Meanwhile, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has already prepared an undisclosed budget for the second poll, but the figure is not part of the K162.2 billion provided in the 2025/26 proposed budget for the first poll.
However, any second round poll will have to be held within sixty days of the September 16, 2025 official poll results, which will be within the 2025/26 fiscal year ending next March 31.
MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the K162.9 billion provided for in the proposed 2025/26 budget, which also comes after the revised K53.1 billion in the 2024/25 fiscal year, does not incorporate the second poll.
He said: “We can’t release a figure [for the second poll budget], but the authorities are aware of the estimated amount. This can always vary.
“MEC has the liberty to decide on the date which the second election should be held, but should be within 60 days from the day of announcing results of first poll. This will be determined by mostly logistical factors like how many days to print ballot papers and mobilize other materials.”
Private practice lawyer Khwima Mchizi hoped that MEC will act swiftly in case of a second poll, owing to the emotive nature of elections.
Implications of delayed alliance or no alliances
Ernest Thindwa, an expert in electoral and identity politics, said in a questionnaire that there are not many parties that can claim enough clout to lead, save for MCP and DPP, which have the highest chances of winning both the presidential race and legislative majority.
“Drawing on electoral data for 2019 elections and the most recent Afrobarometer report on citizens’ electoral preference, UTM and UDF emerge as parties that cannot win a presidential election, but can shape the direction of the presidential race.
“The risk of such a strategy [not going into alliances] for minor parties is to lose out on electoral alliances and miss out on the opportunity to ride on the electoral clout of one of the major parties with a chance to win a presidential race,” he said.
Weighing in, political pundit Wonderful Mkhutche said with parties insisting on fielding own candidates during the first poll, it means that such parties will find it hard to strike deals that are durable.
He said: “Should such alliances go to win power, eventually the frustrations will take no time to show up.
“Now is the best time to start talking about alliances and also announcements. The more time parties will have to talk about an alliance, the more concrete the alliances will be.”
Malawi goes to the polls on September 16 2025 to elect a President, (MPs) and ward councillors.
