UTM presidential candidate Dr. Dalitso Kabambe has launched a blistering attack on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), warning Malawians against voting for a leader who, he claims, is absent from the campaign trail and unable to face the electorate.
Speaking at a rally in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Dr. Kabambe took aim at DPP presidential candidate and former president Arthur Peter Mutharika, accusing him of avoiding public engagements at a time when voters expect active leadership.
“We cannot have a leader who is just sleeping at home and nowhere to be seen on the ground at a critical time like this, yet expects to be given a vote. For what? How? When? Where? Which? Malawians deserve someone who can hold public meetings, explain their plans, and apologise for past mistakes while in office,” Dr. Kabambe said.
Dr. Kabambe’s remarks come just soon after the DPP confirmed that Mutharika will not participate in campaign activities ahead of the 16 September Elections due to ongoing health challenges.
DPP spokesperson Shadreck Namalomba announced also on Tuesday that the former president’s medical condition prevents him from engaging in the physically demanding national campaign schedule.
Political observers say Dr. Kabambe’s remarks highlight a key vulnerability for the DPP, which now faces the unprecedented challenge of contesting a general election without its presidential candidate appearing in person to woo voters.
Dr. Ephraim Zainab, a political analyst based in Blantyre, said the absence of Mutharika on the campaign trail “creates a leadership vacuum and leaves the party heavily dependent on surrogates and regional structures to maintain momentum.”
Zainab added: “In Malawi’s political culture, a leader’s physical presence at rallies is a powerful mobilising factor. Without that, the DPP risks losing touch with swing voters, particularly in rural areas where in-person appearances are highly valued.”
Dr. Kabambe’s comments also tap into lingering public dissatisfaction over Mutharika’s second term (2014–2020), which was marred by corruption scandals, governance concerns, and the annulled 2019 presidential election.
While the DPP has defended Mutharika’s track record, critics say the party has not addressed these issues head-on in the current campaign.
The UTM leader urged Malawians to reject what he described as “recycled politics and unaccountable leadership,” framing the September elections as a choice between “active, visionary leaders” and “detached, absentee politicians.”
With just over a month until polling day, the war of words between UTM and DPP signals intensifying political rivalry. As the campaign enters its final stretch, the political battlefield appears set for heightened clashes between the two cousins, both on the ground and in public discourse.
Although Dr. Kabambe is hitting on DPP’s past dirty record, analysts have argued that he is personally not different from the rest as he was part of the rot that systematically directed the country into a ditch through corruption, theft of public resources, and poor governance.
Dr. Kabambe held key positions during the DPP regime as the Budget Director and later Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor.
