So far, thirteen individuals have collected presidential nomination papers, according to the Malawi Electoral Commission, but most of those candidates will fall off the race before nomination day, analysts say.
Ernest Thindwa said while the number may suggest heightened political interest, the real competition remains between the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
“Most of those who have collected nomination papers will drop off essentially because the current electoral landscape suggests competition for the presidential race is between DPP and MCP,” Thindwa told Malawi News.
He added that the situation is compounded by the lack of meaningful differentiation among presidential hopefuls in terms of public policy and programme design.
“This makes the increased number of presidential hopefuls irrelevant,” he said.
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Thindwa further observed that some individuals might have obtained the nomination papers merely to enhance their bargaining power during alliance negotiations, which have become a hallmark of Malawi’s electoral politics in recent times.
‘Too much quantity, less quality’.
Another political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche said there is too much quantity but less quality on the list.
“The list is long for nothing, and I agree that most of them will not make it past the nomination,”
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He said for the sake of democratic participation, it is encouraging to see many expressing their interest in the presidency.
However, he said, Malawi needs “more seriousness than the quality we have seen in some who went to collect the papers.”
The full list of those who have collected the papers is as follows:
- Milward Tobias – Independent
- Adil James Chilungo – Independent
- Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera – MCP
- Kondwani Nankhumwa – People’s Development Party (PDP)
- Akwame Bandawe – Anyamata, Atsikana, Azimayi (AAA)
- Joyce Banda – People’s Party (PP)
- Atupele Austin Muluzi – United Democratic Front (UDF)
- Reverend Hardwick Kaliya – Independent
- Arthur Peter Mutharika – Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
- Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo – National Development Party (NDP)
- Dalitso Kabambe – UTM
- Kamuzu Walter Chibambo: People’s Transformation Party (Petra)
- Smart Swira: Independent
In a related development, the Public Affairs Committee (Pac) has said it will soon begin engaging all presidential candidates individually ahead of a planned national prayer service for peace.
Pac said these meetings are aimed at getting candidates to commit to a peace declaration, a symbolic document that serves as a conflict prevention mechanism.
It said this “goodwill document”, to be signed by presidential candidates, serves as a conflict prevention tool and a key stepping stone for dialogue facilitation and mediation.
