Posts

Showing posts from February, 2011

United Democratic Front: 1992-2011 (Rest in Peace)

The United Democratic Front (UDF) Malawi's ruling party will soon just like the Nyasaland African Congress, find itself in the dustbin of History. This is the party tha governed Malawi in the first democratic decade of 1994-2004 and failed to change, as the voters were changing. The party is now close to a political comedy that characterised the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) between 1996 to 2002 when eventually its President Gwanda Chakuamba fell from the seat of power, marking the end of its national identity and to be reduced as a minor opposition party about six years later. The UDF first mistake is well documented, its first elected President Bakili Muluzi's decision to run for a third term and later his attempt to extend his influence beyond his constituional limit after he sidelined the official process to hand pick Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika as a candidate. The same arrogance displayed by Muluzi was extended to 2009, when he single handly decided to "thank you" all h