Greed destroy political parties in Malawi
Naturally, nobody wants to be referred to as being greedy because it is demeaning. However, it can be said without contradiction that greed is what is destroying political parties in Malawi.
After the first multiparty elections in 1994, United Democratic Front (UDF) became the party in power with Alliance for Democracy (Aford) and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) as opposition parties in Parliament. The political party landscape looked stable despite the usual vague party ideologies. In fact, parties in Malawi seem not to know what they stand for. To them, their political party colours matter more than ideologies.
Meanwhile, it did not take long for the party landscape to start falling apart. It all started after people had realised that the UDF members were advantaged (for being in power) when it came to sharing the spoils of government. Contracts from government seemed to go to mostly UDF members. This triggered an exodus of defectors from other parties to UDF. In welcoming defectors, president Bakili Muluzi used to say that the defectors had made a good choice because people cannot eat politics. This was a clear indication that defection was more to do with rewards in cash and kind than the image of UDF. In fact, the UDF regime was popular with public cash hand outs.
Not to be outdone by individual defectors, some of whom were getting rich, Aford went into a coalition with UDF. Probably, Aford had forgotten how the same UDF had wiped out the small parties which went into a common election group [Mgwirizano Coalition]. These small parties actually helped Muluzi to win the 1994 elections.
The UDF/Aford coalition was short-lived. Aford President, the late Chakufwa Chihana claimed there was too much corruption in UDF government and he could not stand it. Sadly, when they parted company, many Aford prominent members remained with UDF. This was the genesis of Aford’s downward spiral. At every twist and turn, president Muluzi started mocking Aford with demeaning comments that it was finished like curtains. UDF supporters used to ululate to such statements. What Muluzi failed to predict was that UDF, too, would finish like curtains within his life time. Greed has taken its toll.
It is not exaggeration to say UDF was once a formidable party with more than 80 members in Parliament. Now, it has 11 MPs. May be to save face and in the guise of working with government, the UDF MPs are in a working coalition with DPP. Seriously speaking, DPP does not need UDF. This means UDF might be in the coalition for personal gains. It is likely they still remember the luxuries they used to have when they were in power. Unfortunately, UDF has to pay a high price for being in the working coalition with DPP.
Indeed, the time of reckoning has come. UDF has lost its voice in Parliament. As if this is not enough, the party is battling with all manner of forces that want the Speaker to invoke Section 65 so as to kick UDF out of the august House. One wonders if UDF members realise that it is greed which has put them at the political crossroads, with few sympathisers if any.
It is saddening to see that both UDF and Aford, which are the parties that fought for the introduction of multiparty democracy into the country, are just shadows of their original self.
It is appreciated that people have the right to join a party of their choice. But what is not appreciated is the nomadic practice of moving from one party to another in search of rewards. In this country people waste a lot of time discussing speculations and prediction about who is next to defect to the party in power. This diverts attention from discussing important issues of development.
Other parties should borrow a leaf from MCP. The party has stood the test of time. If it was weak, it would have been history by now. MCP suffered a lot of humiliation but stood firm as a political party.
As long as people allow to be controlled by greed, having stable parties in Malawi will continue to be a pipe dream. The same is true with development.
