By Rick Dzida
It is imperative that President Lazarus Chakwera and former President Peter Mutharika must contest head on during the forthcoming 2025 General elections.
Firstly, as bonafide Malawian Citizens, the Malawi Constitution permits them to stand again as both of them will have served only one presidential term. Therefore, they are both eligible for another second term in office.
Secondly, both having served a single term, Malawians will be accorded with an opportunity to evaluate objectively their performance and come up with their own choices. This smacks of a fair and leveled up playing ground. Unlike the 2020 fresh presidential elections, both Chakwera and Mutharika have ample time to prepare for their electoral campaigns.
Thirdly, both have impeccable educational and political experience background. We are obligated that education offers better opportunities to articulate issues with vision, hindsight and foresight. It is no secret that former President Mutharika has a PhD in International Law while President Chakwera a PhD in Theology. Both have long experience in their field of expertise and leadership.
Fourthly, Both Chakwera and Mutharika have no record or allegations of corruption. They are deemed to be men of integrity which is a necessary personality to fight corruption prevalent in Malawi.
Lastly but not least, both leaders have been endorsed by the gurus of their respective political parties. It must be pointed out here, without any iota of fear or contradiction, that any notion, ideology, or party constitution that contradicts the Supreme Malawi Constitution tantamount to lunacy and invalidity. For instance, calls for old age of a presidential candidate as hindrance to eligibility are utterly nonsensical.
Why Chakwera for 2025 elections?
Many people would question as to why President Chakwera should stand again. First, it sounds plausible to give a benefit of doubt to Chakwera as he has tried his best as the President of Malawi to lead this country bearing his amateurish experience in running government machinery. At least now he has acquired such political experience which may be utilized wisely for the second presidential term.
Second, President Chakwera can be forgiven too as his administration encountered a litany of unforeseen circumstances including Covid 19 pandemic, global economic recess, natural disasters such as the recent Fred cyclone, and the Russia-Ukraine war. Frankly speaking these vices have devastating turmoil on our economy.
Third, President has had tough time to strike a balance between the long starved Malawi Congress Party (MCP) crocodiles and fulfilling the empty campaign promises. It is not surprising that some famished Tonse Alliance gurus are answering charges of corruption.
It is our hope that Chakwera’s second term will shift away from appeasement and political policies with a view of serving the interest of the majority of Malawians. It is of paramount importance to note that leading Malawi in a grand coalition like Tonse Alliance was not an easy task of Chakwera.
Why Mutharika for 2025 elections?
I am sure that some people are wondering why Prof. Peter Mutharika should bounce back.
Firstly, it is now common knowledge that he was robbed of 2020 presidential elections victory. According to Peter Mutharika, the then opposition connived with the courts to effect what was known as the judicial coup. Indeed, the court acknowledged that there was no evidence of rigging but yet the court went to annul the 2020 Presidential Elections based on mere presence of electoral procedural anomalies (irregularities) which are usually prevalent in all elections across the globe. Therefore, it is important that Peter Mutharika must claim his victory back in the forthcoming 2025 General elections.
Secondly, many Malawians would want Peter Mutharika back on the driving seat due to his impeccable economic policies. It is widely believed that our local currency, Kwacha, was stable and inflation rate was manageable during Peter Mutharika’s reign.
Thirdly, It is also vital that Peter Mutharika should bounce back to continue with infrastructural developments which were spread across all regions of Malawi without favour. The Area 18 interchange is one visionary and breathtaking example. Malawians are tired of empty promises such as bullet trains and mega farms as false advanced by the Tonse Alliance block.
Fourthly, rampant corruption perpetrated by Tonse Alliance administration and the toothless Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) leaves a lot to desire. It is true that there were less incidences of corruption during Mutharika’s regime than it is now. Malawians need a strong leader who can seriously stamp out corruption.
Lastly, Peter Mutharika is well known to win elections coming from the opposition bench. His party, Democratic Progressive Party managed to beat Joyce Banda, the then State President of Malawi, by a wide margin in 2014. Will Peter Mutharika be able oust President Lazarus Chakwera from Government at the ballot box in 2025? Let us wait and see.
It must be emphasized that the onus of voting a presidential candidate into power rests on the electorate but not on a few selected disgruntled politicians or political diehards.
