UDF sets eligibility terms for top posts

United Democratic Front (UDF) says only those who have been members of the party for at least five years will be eligible to contest for the presidency and secretariat posts at its August 3 convention.

UDF national publicity secretary Yusuf Mwawa said in a statement on Friday that in line with Articles 13(d) and 14(d) of the UDF constitution, only those who have been members for a continuous period of not less than five years shall be eligible to contest for positions of president, first vice-president, second vice-president, secretary general or deputy secretary general.

And in an interview yesterday, he said: “We believe that for someone to hold a senior position, they must be someone who is a bonafide member of the party and who has been tried and tested in the party.”

On funding for the convention slated for Blantyre, Mwawa said the party is still preparing a budget, but funds will be sourced through contributions from party members.

Former UDF president Atupele Muluzi last year declared that he will contest at the convention to become the party’s presidential candidate in the 2025 Presidential Election.

Atupele, son to UDF founding president Bakili Muluzi, announced retirement from active politics in 2022 before announcing his return last year. He was also the UDF torchbearer in the 2014 and the nullified 2019 presidential elections.

The party’s president Lilian Patel is on record as having said she will not contest at the convention.

Meanwhile, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche has agreed with the party on eligibility criteria for senior positions, saying such positions should be filled by people who have been members of the party for a given period of time.

He said: “They are important positions that dictate the direction of the party and its day-to-day activities. As such, there must be people who have been in the party for some time.”

Major political parties in Malawi, including the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) will hold conventions this year ahead of the September 16 2025 general elections.

The DPP is yet to set a date but the MCP has slated its convention for August 8 to August 10 2024.

MCP also courted controversy when it restricted eligibility to those who have been members for at least two years.