Guest Opinion by Joseph Moloka-Sikwese
IT IS LOUD AND CLEAR. The writing is clear on the wall. The question about Muluzi’s presidential candidature that has been lingering in the minds of many Malawians for a long time has now been answered, though it has been sent to the courts.
But somehow the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has shown its position on the matter. It has declared that Muluzi is not eligible to contest for state presidency since he already served his two consecutive terms as state president from 1994 to 2004.
Analysing the remarks made at the UDF Mangochi rally over the weekend, in the interviews with various media houses, the decision of MEC is bitter is bitter pill to swallow for Muluzi and his UDF party. The UDF and Muluzi strongly feel Dr Bingu wa Mutharika had a hand in MEC’s decision.
Many UDF officials and their so-called alliance partners have made several remarks on MEC’s decision. As expected they side with Muluzi claiming that MEC’s decision to bar Muluzi from contesting is politically motivated.
They have said the influence on the decision has come from the DPP because all along the DPP has been telling the nation that Muluzi does not qualify to contest for the presidency.
They have said Anastasia Msosa and her team have been forced by the executive arm of government since they were appointed single-handedly by the State President who is an interested party in the forthcoming elections.
Thus, according to them, MEC is not an independent body. And now, Muluzi’s legal team, which according to media reports comprises both local and foreign lawyers, is challenging the decision of MEC at the High Court.
This stand of UDF and their allies raises many questions, which are worthy reflecting on.
The UDF claims that MEC is not independent. Imagine the courts overturn the decision of MEC, and allow Muluzi contest in the forthcoming elections, but the results do not go his way.
Will Muluzi and the UDF accept the results? Won’t they claim that the results have been dictated to MEC by someone? Can’t we experience the Kenyan or Zimbabwean scenario?
Politicians rarely accept the election results if they lose in the name of the elections being not free end fair.
A simple example is the parliamentary primary elections. Every aspirant claimed to have massive support, but lost because the election was not free and fair.
Of course some primary elections were really not free and fair. But some genuinely lost, but cannot accept that fact.
Coming back to the issue of Muluzi, we can say that the UDF took a clearly precarious move to elect Muluzi as their torch bearer in the in the forthcoming elections.
They have other persons who can fit the cap of presidential candidate, like Humphrey Mvula, Nga Mtafu, Friday Jumbe, Lillian Patel, Brown Mpinganjira, Harry Thomson et al. Why could Muluzi not elect one of them? Muluzi says Mutharika won because Muluzi himself campaigned for him. Was it difficult to campaign again for Harry Thomson or Lillian Patel?
Perhaps the problem of UDF as various political commentators have pointed out, is that Muluzi is more powerful than the UDF itself just as Mutharika is more powerful than his DPP and John Tembo is more powerful than his MCP.
These political leaders are looked at by their parties like gods. They just impose themselves and their ideas on their parties, and to oppose them decision tantamount to sin.
Friday Jumbe and Brown Mpinganjira have openly said that they cannot contest against Muluzi. What Muluzi and other politicians should know is that they can fool some Malawians, but they cannot fool all Malawians- Nation on Sunday 29 March 2009, Page 17.
IT IS LOUD AND CLEAR. The writing is clear on the wall. The question about Muluzi’s presidential candidature that has been lingering in the minds of many Malawians for a long time has now been answered, though it has been sent to the courts.
But somehow the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has shown its position on the matter. It has declared that Muluzi is not eligible to contest for state presidency since he already served his two consecutive terms as state president from 1994 to 2004.
Analysing the remarks made at the UDF Mangochi rally over the weekend, in the interviews with various media houses, the decision of MEC is bitter is bitter pill to swallow for Muluzi and his UDF party. The UDF and Muluzi strongly feel Dr Bingu wa Mutharika had a hand in MEC’s decision.
Many UDF officials and their so-called alliance partners have made several remarks on MEC’s decision. As expected they side with Muluzi claiming that MEC’s decision to bar Muluzi from contesting is politically motivated.
They have said the influence on the decision has come from the DPP because all along the DPP has been telling the nation that Muluzi does not qualify to contest for the presidency.
They have said Anastasia Msosa and her team have been forced by the executive arm of government since they were appointed single-handedly by the State President who is an interested party in the forthcoming elections.
Thus, according to them, MEC is not an independent body. And now, Muluzi’s legal team, which according to media reports comprises both local and foreign lawyers, is challenging the decision of MEC at the High Court.
This stand of UDF and their allies raises many questions, which are worthy reflecting on.
The UDF claims that MEC is not independent. Imagine the courts overturn the decision of MEC, and allow Muluzi contest in the forthcoming elections, but the results do not go his way.
Will Muluzi and the UDF accept the results? Won’t they claim that the results have been dictated to MEC by someone? Can’t we experience the Kenyan or Zimbabwean scenario?
Politicians rarely accept the election results if they lose in the name of the elections being not free end fair.
A simple example is the parliamentary primary elections. Every aspirant claimed to have massive support, but lost because the election was not free and fair.
Of course some primary elections were really not free and fair. But some genuinely lost, but cannot accept that fact.
Coming back to the issue of Muluzi, we can say that the UDF took a clearly precarious move to elect Muluzi as their torch bearer in the in the forthcoming elections.
They have other persons who can fit the cap of presidential candidate, like Humphrey Mvula, Nga Mtafu, Friday Jumbe, Lillian Patel, Brown Mpinganjira, Harry Thomson et al. Why could Muluzi not elect one of them? Muluzi says Mutharika won because Muluzi himself campaigned for him. Was it difficult to campaign again for Harry Thomson or Lillian Patel?
Perhaps the problem of UDF as various political commentators have pointed out, is that Muluzi is more powerful than the UDF itself just as Mutharika is more powerful than his DPP and John Tembo is more powerful than his MCP.
These political leaders are looked at by their parties like gods. They just impose themselves and their ideas on their parties, and to oppose them decision tantamount to sin.
Friday Jumbe and Brown Mpinganjira have openly said that they cannot contest against Muluzi. What Muluzi and other politicians should know is that they can fool some Malawians, but they cannot fool all Malawians- Nation on Sunday 29 March 2009, Page 17.
God , save the country Malawi from this greedy politian yemwe safuna kukhuluplira zomwe a Mec amuuza afuna azamve nkhwangwa ili mutu pa mwambi watsopano okuti chosamva anachikankha ndi ma vote pa general election
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