United Democratic Front (UDF) spokesperson, Yusuf Mwawa, says Lilian Patel will continue to be the party’s president until a convention elects new party leader in 2023.
Mwawa told Malawi24 that UDF followers hold patience and should have faith with Patel’s leadership because she was chosen by the party’s National Executive Committee to lead the party following Atupele Muluzi resignation as UDF president.
He said the party’s constitution gives the president powers to chose a person for an interim presidency in case the president resigns and this was the reason Atupele Muluzi chose Patel to be the party’s interim president up until UDF goes to convention in 2023.
“Lilian Patel was endorsed by the UDF National Executive Committee’s secrete ballot and this was after the Muluzi proposed names for the presidency, ” Mwawa explained.
The UDF spokesperson added that the party’s constitution gives the party powers to hold convention after every six years as such UDF followers should expect a convention in 2023 because the party held its last convention in 2018.
“Those that say the party president doesn’t have power to chose an interim leader are ignorant of the UDF ‘s constitution, ” said Mwawa.
He therefore called on those that aspires for UDF presidency to join the party and register their interest so that the National Executive Committee should scrutinize their interests and see if they qualify to run for the presidency.
UDF under Bakili Muluzi ruled Malawi from 1994 to 2004 and after Muluzi, Bingu Wa Mutharika became Malawi’s President on UDF ticket in 2004 until he ditched the party in 2005 for Democratic Progressive Party.
Bakili Muluzi, late James Makhumula, Dumbo Lemani, Edward Bwanali and Harry Thomson were some of the people that started the United Democratic Front in the early 90s.
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