The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has announced that Arthur Peter Mutharika will appoint Alliance for Democracy (Aford) leader Enock Chihana as the Second Vice President of Malawi, as part of an agreement between the two parties to form a political alliance.
Mutharika is expected to submit his nomination papers tomorrow, during which he will unveil his running mate. Potential candidates for the position of First Vice President include Dalitso Kabambe and Bright Msaka. However, unconfirmed reports indicate that the alliance talks between DPP and UTM have now broken off.
The presidential race is anticipated to be closely contested between Mutharika and his 2020 successor and the current President, Lazarus Chakwera, who will lead the Malawi Congress Party.
Earlier today, former President Joyce Banda renewed her political alliance with Khumbo Kachali by naming him as her running mate.
Kachali previously served as Vice President under Banda’s administration, following her ascent to the presidency in April 2012 after the sudden death of President Bingu wa Mutharika from cardiac arrest.
MAs Vice President, Kachali made headlines when he was accused of snatching hospital beds from the children’s ward at Mponela Hospital in Dowa to Euthini and Edingeni health centres in Mzimba, where he was allegedly contesting a parliamentary seat. The allegations, which sparked outrage among a caucus of female parliamentarians, were dismissed by Kachali as unfounded.
