The challenge of party alliances
Just like in most countries in Malawi election time for a leadership position is a very big challenge. The first challenge is the general belief that the incumbent candidate does not lose an election because being in power he has a chance to use public resources including money to bribe his way through.
It is undeniable that in Malawi there was a record breaking presidential election re-run. This election brought a lot of anxiety and expectation. President Mutharika’s leadership was at stake because under him there seemed to be no progress in the country. Instead, the majority of Malawians were in dire straits with no hope at all. The people of Malawi seemed to put the blame on leadership of Mutharika which looked failed. Therefore, the majority of Malawians had the agenda of leadership change through the ballot. The 23rd June 2020 gave the opportunity to put another leadership it happened to be President Lazarus Chakwera of MCP. This feat was achieved by MCP and alliance partners including UTM. DPP too went into elections after partnering with UDF. All the alliances were formed just to make sure that President Lazarus took over power while President Mutharika wanted to remain in power.
After the alliance agreements were signed one would assume all members of all parties involve understood the terms of the agreements. This seems not to be the case now that the election dust is settling down. Reading between lines in the media some members of Tonse Alliance seem to feel they had been short changed. This is a challenge which leadership in the alliance parties must sort out. Past experience in Malawi has shown that people join alliances on the basis that there is something for each individual. Such people even forget what was the reason for the alliance. People must be reminded all the time that the mentality of always looking for gains at personal level before they offer their services will take this country to nowhere. In fact the 2020 presidential election were unique and most leaders sacrificed a lot because desperation to save the country from jaws of plunder. Just imagine Vice-President Chilima had to give up his position to run for the presidency in order to give chance to President Lazarus Chakwera. Similar sacrifices were given by other leaders as well. It goes without saying that at some point Malawians have to sacrifice for the sake of having a better future. Indeed having alliances should not be considered a way of getting personal fortune. It is time for every Malawian to think about what can improve Malawi for the good of all.
The other thing to point out is that the habit of wanting to be given opportunities at personal level is what has led to the plunder in this country. So many people especially in government have been corrupt and abuse their power in order to satisfy their egos.
So far both President Chakwera and Vice-President Chilima have started well. Most officials in this country have been taking their work lightly. Hence, Veep Chilima is waking everybody up and tells them as it is such as showing them the exit door.
Malawians have worked hard to change the leadership in style and what remains now is for the new leadership to grant people of Malawi economic independence. Everyone should just work hard and many opportunities will come. Malawians can be so naïve to destroy the Tonse Alliance which is one of its kind.
It gives hope to all people that very soon Malawi will no longer be a laughing stock.
