United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi says the three major political parties wanted an electoral alliance with his party ahead of the May elections.
Muluzi told Times on Friday that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as well as Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM Party courted him for an electoral alliance.
“The same thing that everybody wanted and that is to work together in whatever capacity. They all discussed the same issues and issues of working together are dependent on agreements. You have seen some alliances have crumbled.”
He, however, did not reveal the reasons for failure to strike a deal with any of the parties only saying that “in politics, discussions do not always go well.”
UTM spokesperson Chidanti Malunga confirmed that his party held talks with the UDF running mate and suggested that the talks broke down because the UDF focused on positions.
“The issue was how the matters were being handled. They paid more attention to the positions. And when you put positions ahead of things, we noticed that things did not go well. We thought the bigger picture was beyond positions; however, people think differently,” he said.
DPP and MCP spokespersons did not comment on the matter.
During the interview, Atupele who is still a cabinet minister in the President Peter Mutharika administration insisted that he will continue with his bid for the presidency in the May elections.
He will face his boss Others are Mutharika of DPP, MCP’s Lazarus Chakwera, Vice President Saulos Chilima who represents UTM, John Chisi (Umodzi Party), Peter Kuwani (Mbakuwaku Movement for Development) and independent candidate Reverend Hadwick Kaliya.
