Inter Press Service - April 2, 2003
Anderson Fumulani

A sigh of relief because Malawi has, for the past year, been gripped in political tension and violence over incumbent president's quest for continued stay in office after his second five-year term of office expires in May, 2004.

Last year a university student, the ruling UDF party governor and a villager were all killed in political violence over the controversial "Third Term" of office for President Muluzi. Scores of others were also injured in clashes between police, civilians and party supporters as political tempers rose in response to Muluzi's proposed amendment to the constitution.

On two occasions efforts by the ruling party to change the constitution to allow President Muluzi to run for a third five year-term met with stiff and vocal opposition from the country's opposition parties, human rights NGOs, the diplomatic community, churches and students.

Muluzi had persistently kept an official silence about his position on the third term and said in reference to the heated debates that ensued: "Because I strongly believe in the freedom of expression, it would have been improper for me to comment on this constitutional matter. As Malawians, you were entitled to express your views on the issue because there is freedom of expression in this country."

But as he flew around the country in a military helicopter on his campaign trail, he was occasionally caught off guard and was quoted as saying: "You don't just change governments the way you change clothes. No, No, No!" Or "Who wants to rule the country for only ten years?"

The Malawi Constitution allows a ruling president two consecutive terms of five years each. Muluzi became president in 1994 ending three decades of single party dictatorship in Malawi. The Southern African country will hold presidential and parliamentary elections in May 2004.

Over the weekend President Muluzi announced that the ruling UDF party's National Executive Committee (NEC) has endorsed the 68-year-old economist Bingu wa Mutharika as the new presidential candidate.

Mutharika comes from Thyolo District of Southern Malawi, 40km South-east of the commercial capital, Blantyre, and was until February this year, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi before he was appointed Economic and Planning Minister.

Before his appointment, Mutharika was Secretary General for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) until 1998. He lost miserably in the 1999 Malawi presidential elections through his hastily formed United Party (UP), which he later abandoned to rejoin the ruling UDF. Mutharika also held senior positions with the World Bank, United Nations and the Preferential Trade Area (PTA).

"Now that we're about 13 months to the May 2004 general elections, I find it very necessary to tell the nation the way forward to ensure a smooth and proper transition for a successful general election and beyond," he said.

Rumours that President Muluzi had conceded defeated in his bid for the third term and that he was ready to allow a new president take over in 2004 were spreading across the country. Ruling party governors of the Southern and Central regions of the country broke the news of Muluzi's intention to give way to his successor last weekend.

And in the statement, Muluzi said a vote taken by the meeting had showed that the other presidential hopefuls, Aleke Banda [Agriculture Minister] and Harry Thomson [Environmental Affairs Minister] received zero votes.

"I'm therefore pleased to announce that the National Executive Committee [NEC] has proposed Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika to stand as presidential candidate on the UDF ticket," he said in the broadcast speech.

Muluzi said that Mutharika had nominated Cassim Chilumpha, as his running mate. Chilumpha a former Minister for Finance and Education was removed from cabinet after being implicated in a two million US dollar scandal that rocked the Education Ministry in a corruption case that still remains unresolved.

But Muluzi also said the ruling party had requested him to become national chairman for the ruling party. "This is a matter I'll give due consideration when the time comes. All UDF members, wherever they may be, should have comfort in the fact that, should I accept the national chairmanship, I'll give the party and its members all the possible support. I want the UDF to remain strong so that it wins the 2004 general elections and beyond.

"I hope this will remove the fears some of the UDF supporters may have had. Let me appeal to all Malawians that from this threshold, we should focus our attention not on politics [anymore] but on development issues and economic affairs," he said.

In reference to the 6.5 million population that live on less than one US dollar per day, Muluzi said: "I feel very concerned with the poverty levels despite our tireless efforts. My concern will be to continue to work towards improving the living standards [of the people]. Let me state here that this is not my farewell speech," he said.

In Malawi, 70,000 people die each year from HIV/AIDS related diseases according to the National Aids Commission. "This should now be our agenda from now onwards. It is therefore very important that we pay attention to these issues," he stated.

In response to his nomination the apparently excited Mutharika said he was greatly honoured to be endorsed by all the 54 members present at the special meeting and more so soundly beating two other contestants and political veterans, neither of which got any vote.

"My priority will be to turn around things in the country to resume growth. The rest will follow later," said Mutharika who holds a Masters Degree in Economics and a doctorate in Development Economics said.

Malawi's economy is in recession having contracted with a minus two percent in 2001. Analysts say that only time will tell whether Mutharika will rule Malawi but he faces the formidable opposition from former ruling party strong-man Brown Mpinganjira and his National Democratic Alliance [yet to be registered as a party] and Heatherwick Ntaba of the former ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Malawi emerged out of three decades of dictatorship in 1994 when former dictator Kamuzu Banda ruled the country with an iron fist. Muluzi, 61, is the first democratically elected president for Malawi. (ENDS/IPS/AF/SA/IP/AF/SM/03)

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