Suspended United Democratic Front (UDF) publicity secretary Dyson Jangiya has accused the party of losing direction and that the leadership is dragging it further into decline.
In an interview reacting to his suspension yesterday, he said the action taken against him reflected deep-seated problems in the party that formed the first post-independence multi-party government in 1994.
Jangiya said UDF has failed to regain the trust of Malawians as evidenced by its performance in the September 16 General Election where it secured four parliamentary seats against 10 in the 2019 election.
He said: “UDF is going in the wrong direction. Instead of reflecting on the outcome of elections and starting rebuilding the party, we are busy victimising each other. If we are failing to run the party, can we really run this country?”
But UDF has said Jangiya’s suspension is procedural and part of an ongoing disciplinary process.
In a letter dated November 3 2025 signed by secretary general Genarino Lemani and copied to party president Atupele Muluzi and other top officials, the party said Jangiya was suspended pending conclusion of an investigation into his conduct.
“The decision has been made pending the outcome of the ongoing deliberations and findings from the Disciplinary Committee,” reads the letter in part.
UDF under Bakili Muluzi won the first multiparty general election in 1994 and secured 85 parliamentary seats.
The number of legislators increased to 91 in the 1999 general election, before falling to 49 in 2004 general election. In 2009 the party secured 17 parliamentary seats while in 2014 tripartite elections the party won 14 seats.
