Atupele resignation shakes UDF

United Democratic Front (UDF) has called for an emergency national executive committee (NEC) meeting this week to discuss the way forward following the resignation of its leader Atupele Muluzi.

UDF secretary general Kandi Padambo said in an interview yesterday that Atupele’s resignation came as a shock to party members from top to the grassroots.

His sentiments come a day after some UDF members in the Northern Region wrote his office, expressing their disappointment over Atupele’s move.

In the letter, the members from the North asked Atupele, son to the country’s former president and UDF founding leader Bakili Muluzi, to reverse his decision, saying he is a “capable leader” who can lead the party to form the next government.

Padambo said his office is expecting more letters from other regions as Atupele’s resignation came as a surprise as he did not consult NEC.

He said: “Many members from all the regions have expressed disappointment and would like the president to reverse that decision.

“So we have to meet as a party and formulate a collective response to the president’s decision.”

On whether Atupele’s resignation will affect the party’s alliance with the Democratic Progressive Party, Padambo said their alliance was only for the June 23 2020 court-sanctioned Fresh Presidential Elections and that each party is now working on its own.

In a letter dated May 29 2022 addressed to Padambo, the Northern Region members said they understand that UDF is a party, but at the same time Atupele is the brand that the party has groomed over the years.

Reads the letter in part: “In view of the foregoing, we the Northern Region members, through you our Secretary General, would like to sincerely appeal and request the honourable president to consider rescinding his decision.”

But in separate interviews yesterday, UDF leadership in the Southern, Central and Eastern regions said they will respect Atupele’s decision.

UDF regional governor for the East Alhaj Abdul Nkata said no one can challenge Atupele’s decision because nobody forced him to join politics.

He said: “He [Atupele] hasn’t argued with anyone, but he has just decided to quit active politics and concentrate on other personal issues. So, as the Eastern Region, we welcome his decision because he joined politics himself and has also resigned himself.”

While welcoming Atupele’s resignation, UDF acting regional governor for the South Charles Chikuwo said the party was an institution, as such a leader’s departure would not mean the end of it.

On his part, UDF vice-president (Central) Michael Antoine also accepted Atupele’s decision.

He said Atupele had always wanted to serve Malawians, but being a president in the opposition was frustrating his attempts to contribute to the betterment of Malawians.

But writing on his Facebook page yesterday, Atupele said he had left politics to transition into a Pan-African business executive.

He said with global business partners, he intended to immediately lead in a mini-industrial and economic revolution for the progress and development of Malawi.

Commenting on the matter, political analyst Ernest Thindwa said he was not surprised that some UDF supporters were disappointed by Atupele’s decision.

He said that for so long, the party has ridden on the Muluzi brand and the resignation marks the end of the UDF/Muluzi marriage.

Said Thidwa: “Perhaps this is an opportunity to rebuild the party. The party should not be dependent on an individual and personalised. It’s high time the party moved without the Muluzi brand.”

On his part, political commentator Humphrey Mvula expressed surprise at the way Atupele handled his resignation, saying he was supposed to make his announcement at the NEC meeting.  

However, he said the resignation will give an opportunity to transform UDF from being a regional party to a national party. 

Said Mvula: “It is a defining moment for the party to retrace its roots. It’s a positive development as the party will not be associated with a family [Muluzi]. At least for the first time the next leader will not be a  Muluzi.”

Atupele took over the party’s leadership in 2012 at the expense of Friday Jumbe, George nga Mtafu (now deceased) and Moses Dossi  during the party’s convention, succeeding his father former president Bakili Muluzi who was the party’s chairperson.

According to UDF spokesperson Yusuf Mwawa, the former president is now the party patron as there is no chairmanship role in the UDF constitution.

Atupele becomes a second high ranking UDF official to quit after first vice-president Lance Mbewe.

UDF performance in elections has been dwindling since 1999 general elections when it amassed 91 parliamentary seats after it got 85 in the 1994 elections.

In 2004, the party had 49 legislators, 16 in 2009 and 14 in 2014.

As of now, UDF has 10 parliamentarians.