Political Analysts in the country say Malawi has serious challenges when it comes to intraparty democracy.
This comes as most parties will soon hold party elective conventions, and there have been scenarios whereby party leaders and members always want the presidential seat to be held by the incumbent and no one shouldn’t challenge that.
A vivid example is that of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whereby Kondwani Nankhumwa was interested in the presidential seat of the party, therefore challenging Peter Mutharika, the party’s current leader.
This brought internal wrangles in the DPP, and then Nankhumwa left the party. Recently, Dalitso Kambambe who also seemed interested in the presidential seat resigned from the party, barely a month before the party’s elective convention.
Commenting on this, Political Analyst, Wonderful Mkhuche said most parties do not respect intraparty democracy, as most party leaders personalize the parties and end up displacing potential successors.
“We have serious challenges when it comes to intraparty democracy in Malawi. Most party leaders personalize the parties and end up displacing potential successors. In the end, it kills the future of the party and we have seen this in former ruling and strong parties like the United Democratic Front (UDF) as well as the People’s Party (PP),” said Mkhutche.
Commenting on Dalitso Kabambe’s resignation from the DPP, the political analyst said Kabambe did well, as he would have been forced to wait long for an opportunity to lead the DPP.
“With the coming in of Peter Mutharika, Dalitso Kabambe would have been forced to wait for long for an opportunity to lead the DPP. He saw this as unfair, especially after being edged by Peter Mutharika, a person who is supposed to let go of the party.
“This was frustrating and he simply had to look elsewhere. He made a good decision as it seems he may be heading to the United Transformation Movement (UTM) where some members of the party feel he is the right person to lead the party,” he added.
Mkhutche further posits that the DPP desperately needs to move on from Peter Mutharika as he is not an attractive candidate anymore.
“Some people feel that his age is advanced for the office of the President. I agree with them that the DPP needed new blood and names to carry the party forward.
“The party had options in the presidential hopefuls that presented themselves. Now, this opportunity is gone. No one is in sight and the discussion on who can lead aside from Peter Mutharika no longer exists,” Mkhutche explained.
He further said that if the party loses the elections next year, the hopefuls will once again appear and this is when Malawians will see who will be better for the party.
Meanwhile, in his sentiments, Kondwani Nankhumwa who was a senior member of the party, and now leader of the Peoples Development Party (PDP), indicated that some members in the DPP were against him because he had the potential to win against Mutharika at the party’s convention.
