Major political parties probably need a strong painkiller to cure the headache they have over the choice of running mates for the September general elections.
Reports suggest that ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are considering picking running mates from within their parties for the sake of party building.
However, the parties have insisted that the choice of running mates depends solely on the presidential candidates.
This comes as the official campaign opens on July 14, in just five days from today.
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Presidential candidates are expected to present their nomination papers from July 24 to 30.
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MCP, DPP, UTM and United Democratic Front (UDF) have all confirmed that no decisions have been communicated regarding running mates.
MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila said the party president has not yet revealed who will be his running mate, as that decision lies solely with the president.
“That lies within the jurisdiction of the president and he has not informed the party whom he will run with,” said Kabwila.
UTM Secretary General Willet Kalonga also said the choice of running mate is entirely the president’s prerogative.
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“It is the president [Dalitso Kabambe] who chooses whom to go with and we have no control over when the announcement will be made. Previously, we even saw a candidate choosing a running mate on the way to submit nomination papers,” Kalonga said.
He was apparently referring to DPP’s Peter Mutharika who picked who later became his running mate, Everton Chimulirenji, on his way to present his papers at Comesa Hall in Blantyre.
In a separate interview, DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba asked for patience, saying the party president will appoint a running mate in his own time.
“As our party constitution dictates, the choice of a running mate is the sole responsibility of our party president, who is also the presidential candidate,” Namalomba said.
UDF spokesperson Dyson Jangia also said that, according to the party’s constitution, selecting a running mate is the prerogative of the party president.
“So, it is up to the Right Honourable Atupele Muluzi to choose whomever he wishes to work with. UDF is still open to negotiations with other parties on a possible alliance and such a deal can be struck before the submission of nomination forms to Malawi Electoral Commission,” Jangia said.
The majority of political parties whose leaders have already collected nomination papers say they remain open to forming electoral alliances ahead of the September polls.
Political Science Association of Malawi publicity secretary Mabvuto Bamusi said late unveiling of running mates confuses voters as “it undermines the ability of citizens to make informed democratic choices”.
“It also reduces the electoral process to a game of hide and seek, a scenario that reduces the voter to a mere pawn that dances to the whims of the presidential candidates.
“This tendency also explains why vice presidents are given less power and their authority is often undermined because they are considered political bootlickers,” Bamusi said.
He added that there is a need for a law to legislate the timing for the selection of running mates and suggested that running mates should be known at the same time presidential candidates are collecting nomination papers.
But political analyst Wonderful Mkutche said parties and presidential candidates still have time to reveal their running mates.
“In this election, the running mate will be critical in terms of the trajectory of the elections. This is the reason the parties are keeping the issue a secret to avoid exposing themselves before the right time,” Mkutche said.
