Since the introduction of democracy in Malawi in 1994, various political groups in the country have claimed to handle their affairs democratically. Almost every political party in Malawi claims to be democratic, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that democracy is just a big word. Professor Blessings Chinsinga stated in his essay “Towards the Consolidation of Malawi’s Democracy” (2008) that “All the major political parties in Malawi are in a state of flux, mainly due to a lack of internal democracy.”
Oh, the irony! Intra-party conflicts have been present since the interception of multiparty democracy in 1994, because someone is exercising their democratic rights in the party. If others in the party are not convinced by someone else’s ideas, they are painted as “Mperezi,” a term that Honorable Charles Mchacha loves to use when labeling a rebel.
Do you remember what happened in the AFORD party after the late Chakufwa Chihana decided to join forces with the Malawi Congress Party? Intra-party conflict erupted in AFORD, and instead of sitting down and ironing out the concerns raised by other members of the party, Chihana went ahead and signed an alliance deal with MCP. The pact was a bitter pill to swallow for many AFORD members, who saw themselves as the true champions of democracy in Malawi and the natural enemies of the MCP. Veteran northern region politician Machipisa Munthali publicly expressed disgust with the alliance, and other popular names in the party, including Dr. Mapopa Chipeta and Reverend Peter Koleso, dumped Chihana’s side and joined the United Democratic Front (UDF).
As I mentioned, intra-party conflicts exist in every political party in Malawi, raising the question of whether democracy exists in political parties. In 2003–2004, there was a heavy debate in the country about then-president of the republic, Dr. Bakili Muluzi, who wanted an amendment to the country’s constitution to allow him to stand for a third term for the presidency after serving two consecutive terms. It is on record that the bid by Muluzi brought tension to the United Democratic Front (UDF), where some members were supporting the proposal while others were against it. Because Muluzi was the president of the party, he had the audacity to facilitate the expulsion of other members who stood against his bid.
Former Member of Parliament and deputy agriculture minister Joe Manduwa told Integrated Regional Information Networks News-IRIN (2005), “I told the president that I don’t want him to contest for the third term. I also told him that even if you pass the bill, you’ll not be the one to reap the benefits because the force [against you] out there is too great.” For advising the president to withdraw, Manduwa was expelled from the UDF, and his parliamentary seat was declared vacant. But the High Court reinstated him, along with another renegade, ex-deputy finance minister Jan-Jaap Sonke, who was fired earlier. Sonke said that “I begged Muluzi to withdraw before a lot of damage was done.” He told IRIN that he felt the UDF would lose the 2004 election if the bill to amend the constitution was passed, and donors would halt aid to Malawi.
According to Sonke, at least ten other UDF MPs would not support the bill if it were tabled but were too afraid to declare that publicly. Sonke expressed his concern to IRIN that “we have established a democracy in Malawi, but as UDF, we do not behave according to democratic principles.
He lamented further that one of his colleagues, an MP, had told him that if he had a gun, he would blow his head off for being against Muluzi’s bid for a third term.
Intra-party conflicts violate democracy, as exemplified by the former deputy ministers during the UDF era.
After losing the presidential elections in 2014, the Malawi Congress Party had an internal conflict. Some members, including former General Secretary Gustavo Kaliwo, Jessy Kabwira, and others, fought their president, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, over his leadership style. In 2016, Jessy Kabwira told The Nation Newspaper that there were serious irregularities in the way Chakwera ran the party.
The disputes came at a time when the MCP National Executive Committee (NEC) endorsed Chakwera to remain a candidate for the 2019 general elections at its December 2015 meeting. Court battles followed, and the camp supporting Chakwera made several decisions, such as firing or suspending members who opposed him. Jessy Kabwira, the publicity secretary, was suspended for expressing her opposition to Chakwera.
After the 2018 convention, some members who were against Chakwera left the party, including Kabwira, former Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya, and others. This intra-party conflict undermined the principles of democracy.
When the late Professor Bingu Muthalika formed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), it was believed that intra-party conflict would be avoided since he pledged to be more democratic. In 2009, Joyce Banda became Malawi’s first female vice president, but only months later, her job was in jeopardy when she refused to support the nomination of President Bingu Wa Mutharika’s brother, Peter, as the successor of the DPP. Mutharika fired her as vice president of the DPP for “anti-party” activities, but fortunately, there was no impeachment. She continued to serve as the legal vice president of Malawi until April 5, 2012.
In 2010, Joyce Banda and Khumbo Kachali were fired from the DPP because they opposed Bingu’s plan to hand over power to his brother Peter. In a democratic party, opposing views should be respected, rather than forcing members out because of different ideologies and thoughts.
The Democratic Progressive Party faced intra-party conflict again in 2018 when some members, including former First Lady Callista Muthalika, endorsed the then Vice President of the country, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, to be the torchbearer of the party in the 2019 general elections. This caused a heated debate in the party, with members against the endorsement of Chilima intimidating and insulting those in support of the vice president.
By endorsing Chilima, those supporting him were branded as rebels in the party. Patricia Kaliati, Noel Masangwi, Chidanti Malunga, Bon Kalindo, and others were insulted, and hate speech was directed at them. Professor Arthur Peter Muthalika even threatened to deal with anyone who was against him, including those for the Chilima Movement. DPP cadets allegedly attacked legislators Patricia Kaliati and Noel Masangwi at the Parliament building in Lilongwe and set fire to Honorable Bon Kalindo’s car at his house. Intra-party conflicts in the DPP led to these unfortunate incidents.
The scorching heat proved too much for Chilima and his loyalists, prompting them to make a hasty exit from the DPP. During a press conference in Lilongwe, Chilima stated that he did not want to be seen as fighting the party’s owners, presumably because he preferred to fight them from the outside. The announcement did not surprise anyone in the DPP, who collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Chilima promptly registered his party, the UTM, which continues to haunt the DPP to this day. Professor Muthalika, in particular, has been haunted by Chilima’s existence and even admitted that the DPP lost the 2020 Fresh Presidential Elections because of Chilima’s defection. According to Muthalika, Chilima took many people with him when he left the party, leaving the DPP adrift and struggling to stay afloat.
Intra-party conflict has always threatened democracy in Malawi, which is why the current situation in the DPP should come as no surprise. The party is currently mired in a serious intra-party conflict, with some members endorsing Peter Muthalika for the upcoming convention, while others are backing Dr. Kondwani Nankhumwa. As a result, the DPP leadership has resorted to firing members who dare to oppose Muthalika’s endorsement.
In the end, it is clear that intra-party democracy does not exist in Malawi’s political parties, as evidenced by a series of intra-party conflicts that pose a significant threat to Malawi’s democracy. It is a shame that democracy has failed to take root within political institutions like the MCP, UDF, AFORD, and DPP. If we hope to spread democracy throughout the country, we must first ensure that it flourishes within our political parties.