Malawi: Mutharika picks former president’s son as running mate

By James Mwala

Incumbent President Peter Mutharika has settled for Atupele Muluzi, son to former president Bakili Muluzi as runningmate in the fresh presidential election slated for this July.

Bakili Muluzi was Malawi’s President from 1994 to 2004.

Mutharika’s party entered into an alliance that the young Muluzi heads, the United Democratic Front.

The young Muluzi is also the current Energy Minister in the Mutharika administration.

In making the announcement in Blantyre when submitting nomination papers, the 79 year old Mutharika said trusts Muluzi because of his demonstrated leadership skills in ministerial posts he had held.

Mutharika then moved to describe the order for the fresh presidential poll as meant to disturb progress of the developing the economy.

He faces a fierce rival under the MCP-UTM alliance, a partnership that has nine parties including former President Joyce Banda’s People’s Party.

The MCP-UTM alliance will be led by Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) with the incumbent vice President Saulos Chilima as runningmate.

Analysts have described the current status and the looming elections as the tightest the nation will ever witness.

The elections will have three contestants with Mbakuwaku Movement Development led by Peter Kuwani and Archbald Kalawang’oma finalising the list.

Up to six candidates did not successfully present their papers due to among other things failure to meet requirements and eventual withdrawal from the race.

The order for the fresh poll followed a  case that Chakwera and Chilima lodged against the Malawi Electoral Commission over the administration of the 2019 poll.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will at the end of week give a ruling on the plea by the electoral commission to quash the order made by the Constitutional Court.