BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Reverend Dr Lazarus Chakwera stunned many Malawians prior to 2014 presidential election when he announced that he wanted to extend his pastoral call from Assemblies of God church to the national level.
In his own words, ‘many doubting Thomases’ jubilated when he lost the 2014 presidential race with a narrow margin to Prof. Peter Mutharika.
In 2019, President Chakwera lost again to Prof. Peter Mutharika and the doubting Thomases were all over the moon again mocking him that, like Jonah in the bible, God was punishing him for running away from God’s call.
Little did the doubting Thomases know what political future was in store for Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera when he partnered with the charismatic Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima to challenge the results of 2019 presidential election.
The aftermath of the legal battle of 2019 presidential election case is water under the bridge because President Chakwera now has an obligation as a defending champion to retain his presidency.
This episode will therefore endeavour to present to the incessant doubting Thomases the political prowess of the incumbent President Chakwera.
First, many Malawians are of the opinion that a one-term presidency derails and disrupts national development.
In fact, the Malawi Constitution was framed with a purpose when it deliberately limited presidential terms to the maximum of two.
Precisely, the first presidential term can be termed as a preparatory phase whereby the president erects foundation for the country’s development for the next 10 years.
This is why former Presidents Bakili Muluzi, Bingu wa Mutharika and Peter Mutharika were voted into power again for their second presidential terms in 1999, 2009 and 2019 respectively.
Malawians may therefore not want a repeat of Joyce Banda’s regime when she was voted out of government after just completing Bingu’s term.
It seems like the normal trend of changing governments is to conform to the Malawi Constitution so that incumbent presidents must consecutively finish their maximum two terms.
Second, currently, a combination of Dr. Lazarus Chakwera as State President and Dr. Saulos Chilima as his vice president is a unique one because these political leaders are our own graduates from the University of Malawi (UNIMA).
It will be a great disappointment to our university education system when President Chakwera is booted out of power after serving his first presidential term only. One will be easily tempted to question the relevance of leadership modules in UNIMA programs.
Frankly speaking, Malawi has been led by presidents who were not trained at Malawian universities before.
It was therefore a privilege that for the first time, both President Chakwera and his Vice President Chilima are the graduates of the University of Malawi.
In other words, it would be a great test of the competency of our public universities’ graduates when President Chakwera becomes a one-term president of the country.
Third, changing governments after every 5 years compromises the continuity of government projects. This is retrogressive to Malawi’s development.
It is of paramount importance at this juncture to appreciate that President Chakwera has demonstrated a patriotic political will by finishing developmental projects initiated by the previous regime. Most Malawians will therefore wish him to continue such projects while initiating his own.
Fourth, President Chakwera practises civilised politics. Many Malawians who religiously and keenly follow President Chakwera as a politician and also as a reverend concur with each other that he does not castigate any opposing entity.
In fact, President Chakwera is on record of having personally visited homes of former presidents Bakili Muluzi and Prof. Peter Mutharika as a gesture of offering an olive branch to them soon after ascending to power.
Therefore, many voters would want President Chakwera to be on the driving seat again so that peace, tranquility and civilised politics should continue to prevail and flourish in the warm heart of Africa, Malawi.
Fifth, first presidential term is taken as Chakwera’s learning opportunity.
It remains a stubborn fact that President Chakwera has never been near the driving seat not even being a cabinet minister before his ascendancy to presidency.
Truth must be eloquently told here that previous presidents such as Dr. Hastings Banda, Mr. Bakili Muluzi, Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, Mrs. Joyce Banda and Prof. Peter Mutharika were once cabinet ministers before they ascended to power. This provided them with more like a training ground for their august presidency.
Honest assessment reveals that President Chakwera has been seriously on the learning curve pertaining to leading this country the moment he ascended to power.
Some Malawians are of the candid view that President Chakwera should be given another chance to lead Malawi for the second term so that he can put into practice what he learnt in his first presidential term.
Sixth, despite the unforeseen circumstances such as Covid 19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war and Cyclone Freddy, there is strong evidence on the ground that Chakwera’s regime has tried its best to resuscitate our ailing economy.
For instance, Chakwera’s regime has managed to clinch the International monetary fund credit facility, a move that has subsequently accelerated the donor confidence in Malawi.
With prospects of such donors’ budgetary support, even many renowned economists agree that Malawi is on the right path to economic growth and recovery under the dynamic and visionary leadership of President Lazarus Chakwera.
Seventh, President Chakwera has all government resources at his disposal. Our system of government gives the incumbent president powers, privileges and prerogatives which may be used to his advantage during the electoral process.
Recently, we have seen senior members of the main opposition party, DPP, such as Mcheka Chilenje, Joyce Chitsulo, Brown Mpinganjira and many others defecting to the ruling MCP. These politicians will obviously move with their followers to MCP.
Eighth, MCP is gradually shifting from a central regional party to a national party.
Gone are the days when MCP was taken as a central region party which was crudely meant for the Chewa tribe only.
By choosing late Sidik Mia as Chakwera’s running mate in 2019 presidential race, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has gained popularity and support in the lower Shire in the Southern region.
Furthermore, being married to the first lady who comes from Rumphi in the north, MCP is gradually holding a strong ground again in the northern region which was previously labelled as the dead north.
Furthermore, the Kondwani Nankhumwa’s newly formed political party, PDP, will likely divide the votes in the main opposition party’s, stronghold , DPP, in the Southern region. This will obviously give President Chakwera a winning advantage.
Ninth, President Chakwera has one of the best political strategists, Ken Zikhale Ng’oma
It is widely believed that winning presidential elections requires the winning strategy formulated by a competent strategist.
It is an open secret now that Ken Zikhale is the man behind successful MCP political adventures.
One can easily testify how President Chakwera emerged the victor in 2020 fresh presidential election. Since ascending to power, MCP has enjoyed a series of wins in various parliamentary and local government bye elections including the recent ones in Karonga.
Lastly but not least, President Chakwera is a great orator and a God fearing person.
President Chakwera possesses a unique skill that he is able to competently communicate to the masses during political campaigns.
Taking advantage of the gullibility and high illiteracy levels of many Malawians, President Chakwera managed to win the hearts of many voters in 2020.
With a unique combination of his eloquence of American accent and widely spoken Chichewa language, what can stop President Chakwera from convincing the electorate again in 2025 presidential race?
Furthermore, in a country where over 90% of the population is theistic, it is not surprising that there are still some voters who believe that Reverend Chakwera can perform miracles of national progress and development in his second presidential term.
In conclusion, this episode has endeavoured to expound on the political strength of President Chakwera as a possible victor of 2025 presidential election.
However, politics possesses gargantuan dynamics such that only a voter is the best decision maker to determine the victor of any presidential race.
