As a nation, we need to seriously look at the way the 2014 elections were messed up and draw lessons from it.
We actually need a commission of inquiry into the elections so that we should really know the truth. Don’t’ worry; the inquiry would not be aimed at unseating APM. No, that’s done and sealed, APM will be president until 2019.
But I just thought I could point out a few tough lessons that I think we need to learn from:
Commissioners
–We need to review the role of commissioners—whether they should come from parties because they tend to be partisan. Can we not have independent people serve as commissioners? The current crop of commissioners left a lot to be desired—too partisan.
JB
–JB is said to have lost the plot and that’s why she lost the presidential vote. Well, before she throws in the towel—as she has intimated- she needs a proper research why she lost. She might need Afro barometer to do that—she will be told the truth, and not those fake pollsters.
With 26 MPs, PP should be re-organized and immediately look at potential presidential candidates for 2019.
MCP and Chakwera
For the MCP, it needs to move to the south in a big way and stop being tribalistic by depending on the central region (Chewa) vote. All Chewas can go and vote, but this would not guarantee a win for Lazarus Chakwera. Ask JZU.
Of course, it was going to be a miracle for Chakwera if he had won—from the pulpit to state house within 10 months. Chakwera compromised on his running mate, he blundered by not believing in Lovemore Munlo, a southerner. Look here Lazarus—you need a southerner, and not only an ordinary southerner with no name—to trap the southern vote.
Your last votes from the south were very pathetic and sickening. I can’t remember the figure, but if you believe you can make it to Sanjika or Kamuzu palaces with the Chewa vote only, well you could remain in opposition forever. Remember, there is no sympathy vote; you have to earn your vote.
As MCP, you have a lot of reasons to say sorry for past atrocities, you have a lot of reasons to convince Malawians that you are a reformed party. There is this dark past about MCP which needs to be sorted out. Don’t run away from it.
One thing for sure is that the MCP is virtually dead in the south. No grassroots structures, no nothing. How does the MCP start making in-roads into the south where DPP and UDF (???) are entrenched?
MCP needs a figurehead from the south.
If it can’t be Munlo, then there must be somebody. If you can’t get a running mate from the south—and not the north—then don’t cry foul and don’t dream of state house. Are you reading this Lazarus?
And lastly, MCP should not be seen as a Chewa party, a party for the central region only. Much as DPP is seen as a Lomwe party, why does it bag votes in Chitipa or Nsanje, Dowa and Ntcheu?
Ndakuuzani!
UDF and agenda for change
So, UDF’s noise ended in a whimper. You can hate Afro barometer, but they said the truth about Atupele Muluzi—that he does not feature anywhere among the top contenders. He was a pitiful number four.
So what can the UDF learn? It will be tough for them to learn anything as long as UDF remains a party associated with Islam.
I could be wrong, but that’s what I feel myself. Their 14 MPs have come from the eastern region-Mangochi and Machinga, well, you might add, Moslem districts.
It’s not a crime to be a Moslem, but when your party is identified with religion, any religion, then you have one thing coming. Malawians are very sensitive about religion-and they want to worship their various gods without any due political interference.
Another thing about the UDF—they did well to contest on presidential level after missing out in 2009 when the yellow outfit combined its forces with MCP and JZU was the only flag carrier of that coalition—all because Bakili Muluzi was barred from contesting after a five year absence.
Atupele, so to speak, is young. That’s in the minds of many Malawians. They think his time to become president—at the age of 36—are too early. He needs to grow up a bit, get political experience and when time is ripe; Malawians would be able to give tick him for president.
The fear is this: give Atupele the presidency at 36; he needs to come out of active politics ten years later at 46. Would one want to move out of politics at 46? No, that’s the age Barrack Obama became president.
Well, thanks to Atupele for reviving a dead party. You still have a lot of work to do to recapture UDF lost ground—which is very large. Your appeal to the youth only could prove a disaster—because the youth don’t register to vote.
If the youth were for you, well you could have been in state house by now. Look at your intra-party democracy-is it working?
Let’s talk more about the tough lessons in the next column.
