Multiparty is war: Analyst says Kamuzu was right

Malawi founding President Dr. Kamuzu Banda warned that multiparty politics is war and a political analyst says he was right.

Following 31 years of one party system, debate on whether to have multiparty system or not was  brought to the ballot that witnessed the majority being in support of having many political parties in the country.

To woe more supporters to vote against multiparty system, Banda described multiparty as being “war”

Kamuzu expressed that one party system was the best for Malawi for peace at the same time national unity.

In the elections that Malawi has been having since adopting multiparty, some major political parties have always received more votes in certain regions than others.

The country has also faced political violence relating to processes of electing leaders in multiparty system in country.

With 2019 being elections year in Malawi, the country faced election related violence across the country prior to the polls.

Following the results of 2019 election, some parts have had ugly scenes of violence with protesters disputing the outcome of the elections in which President Peter Mutharika was declared winner.

Clouds of smoke from teargas canisters were spotted in central parts of the country as police tussled with supporters of MCP who have rejected the “fairness and credibility” that was declared by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) following the vote cast.

The party’s leadership has also rejected results of the elections and has launched a legal challenge.

From Kamuzu’s words that multiparty is war, Political Expert Wonderful Mkhutche feels the first President of the country did not literally mean war but implications of the system and was right in that aspect.

“With several parties there will be competition for political power and also political relevance and by this Kamuzu Banda was right,” said Mkhutche.

He further urged the courts to quickly make determination of the electoral cases regarding the May 21 polls as a way of ending the violence in the country.