UDF wants national chair to contest for presidency

Opposition United Democratic Front says it will amend its constitution to allow its national chairperson to contest as presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2014 elections.

UDF secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala disclosed this on Tuesday in an interview after former minister of Sports, Youth and Culture Moses Dossi collected forms to contest at the party’s October 30 convention as presidential candidate.

“We will amend the constitution to make the national chairperson of the party presidential candidate so that we stop the divided loyalty which we have experienced over the years. Some gave their loyalty to the national chairperson of the party while others to the president,” said Mwakwangwala.

He disclosed that Dossi was the first candidate to collect forms. He said the party will stop receiving nomination forms a week before the convention.

Asked how many other candidates are expected to collect forms, Makwangwala said he expected George Mtafu and Friday Jumbe to do so. Other party officials said Atupele Muluzi, son to former president Bakili Muluzi, was also expected to collect the forms.

Makwangwala said presidential hopefuls should collect 75 signatures from each administrative region of the country—North, Centre and South.

In an interview, Dossi said he wanted to stand as presidential candidate for the party because it required “massive” rebranding to get back to its former glory.

Dossi challenged Muluzi at a UDF convention before the 2004 elections and got only 12 votes.