A political rally addressed by former Vice President Dr. Cassim Chilumpha SC on Sunday at Nyambadwe Primary School Ground in Blantyre was met with a dismal turnout of less than 500 people, including children. In his address, Dr. Chilumpha claimed that his supporters failed to attend the rally due to the fuel crisis that the country is currently facing.
The veteran politician, Dr. Chilumpha, who is also President of the opposition Assembly for Democracy and Development (ADD), addressed the rally alongside senior officials from his party.
However, a representative of Senior Group Village Headman Somanje Makata attributed the low turnout to poor publicity by the party. He advised Chilumpha and his party to focus on publicity next time they intend to hold a rally in Ndirande, Malawi.
At the rally, the former second citizen, Dr. Chilumpha, a lawyer by profession, accused President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and his Tonse Alliance of failing to fulfill their campaign promises.
“MCP and Tonse Alliance have ruined Malawi. The country is currently in intensive care,” said Chilumpha.
He then called upon Malawians to vote for him in the 2025 presidential elections, saying he is the only person who is trustworthy, honest, and capable of running the country.
Chilumpha, a former senior member of the United Democratic Front (UDF), was Vice President of Malawi from June 2004 to May 2009 under Bingu Wa Mutharika. Later, under President Joyce Banda, he was appointed Minister of Energy and Mining in April 2012.
The low turnout is a major blow to Chilumpha’s political ambitions. He is hoping to challenge President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera in the 2025 Malawi presidential elections. But the dismal turnout in Blantyre suggests that Chilumpha may have a tough time winning the support of Malawians.
