By Lyson Sibande
The month of August is finally here. The month of party conventions for the 2025 elections. But you, opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), have you indeed made a final decision that Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) be a gain a presidential candidate for 2025 general elections?
Peter Mutharika does not carry himself as a politician who is in any way preparing to win elections. I mean, he will have unseat a government, but less than 12 months to elections, the guy is always very quite and hiding at Page House in Mangochi.
APM behaves like a typical retiree not someone in active service.
If DPP needs seriousness, APM must not stand. DPP needs a candidate who is desperate for power. Someone who is desperate to win and will do anything to win.
APM failed to campaign in 2020, and he is clearly not ready to campaign now. He is old and has been president already. As a result, he is psychologically not well motivated to get power because he loses nothing if he loses elections.
Problem is that DPP is scared to replace APM. But you know what, DPP has collapsed under APM’s watch since he took over from Bingu in 2012. The party has failed to grow because of APMs leadership style.
As a matter of fact, APM lost government twice and got DPP shoved to the Opposition. First, in 2012 when Bingu died, APM had taken control of DPP but lost government to Joyce Banda.
Peoples Party (PP) moved to the Opposition because APM could not find a political solution with Joyce Banda to keep DPP in power. A solution could have been there but APM failed to find it.
Second was in 2020. DPP was shoved to the Opposition after winning the 2019 elections because APM had lost control of institutions and actors that matter for an administration to stay in power. He lost already made leadership because he is a poor political leader.
If DPP maintains APM they have a campaign without energy. A boring campaign. A campaign without presence and inspiration.
The way Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is doing its politics, I can guarantee an embarrassing DPP loss next year. Replace APM and rebuild.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor
