Rest in peace DPP

Once upon a time, there was a political party in Malawi that was so blue, corrupt, chaotic, and brutish that its supporters sharpened their panga right in the middle of a busy street in blinding sunlight.

The party which was run like a tribal grouping, with an old and out-of-touch leader at the helm, once ruled the country with so much impunity. Most of its supporters were hooligans who were only concerned with the plight of their own pot-bellies and not the welfare of Malawians. Corruption, nepotism, cronyism characterised the party and its rule.

While many Malawians were languishing, this party’s leaders were busy feasting and wallowing in luxuries that did not match their earnings. This party hated anyone with dissenting views to the extent that those who criticised it would be physically manhandled, all in the name of love for the party.

Booted out of power in 2020, this once upon a time mighty blue party, has become a shadow of itself. The party now in opposition doesn’t offer checks and balances to the current administration. This dead and waiting for the final nail on the coffin party, all it does now is fight within itself. If it is now taking one of its own to court, it is fighting one of its own in Parliament, the only place where the party has a chance to resurrect itself.

For those who have followed all that goes in this party from its inception to date, the death of this party does not come as a surprise—it is actually surprising that we are still talking about this waiting for burial party, which partnered with another dead yellow party.

It is sad that with the muting and shrinking civil society voice, the other voice of reason that would have perhaps been vocal in fighting and speaking for Malawians is currently busy jostling among itself, fighting for personal positions and interests within the party. It is sad and it should be a cause for worry for any Malawian who believes in democracy. With the opposition weakened by their own design and lack of an organised and vocal civil society, there is a high risk of the current administration doing as it pleases knowing that there is no organised way of checks and balances.

Yes, ordinary citizens may scream and shout on social media, which can only go so far. The citizens look up to their legislators to help them effect change. With such busy weak opposition which spends its time and energy bickering within its rank and file, there is a high likelihood it has no time to attend to important matters such as asking the government to root out corruption.

Here lies the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its alliance partner United Democratic Front (UDF). They died at the hands of arrogance, selfishness, and running the parties as family groupings.