For the 86-year-old Arthur Peter Mutharika it is a tough call; either burn the nation, leave it in chaos and die, or lose the ballot
On paper, the 2025 general elections in Malawi ought to be a powerful milestone, a celebration of democracy, renewal of leadership, and another step forward in our nation’s democratic journey. But beneath the surface, a dangerous script is unfolding, one that risks discrediting not just the electoral process but the very idea of credible democracy in our country.
And sadly, the principal actors in this drama are not foreign enemies or non-state actors. They are our own opposition parties, led by a former president whose time on the national stage should have evolved into that of an elder statesman, not an architect of national chaos.
In recent weeks, Malawi has been rocked by credible reports detailing how the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)—alongside its allies in AFORD, UDF, and PP—is rolling out a clandestine strategy designed to disrupt the electoral process, undermine the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), and erode public trust in the very institution that underpins our democracy.
And the question we must all ask is simple: to what end, and at what cost?
According to multiple sources and exposés—including a now widely circulated recording of activist Billy Malata—the opposition coalition has crafted a strategy to manufacture public outrage, coordinate targeted protests, incite demonstrations, and eventually create a false narrative of electoral illegitimacy.
The goal? To force concessions from MEC, gain unauthorized access to its systems, or—failing that—undermine the elections entirely.
As if that weren’t alarming enough, this plan is now being actively executed, with civil society organizations—some bought and paid for—already participating in press briefings and coordination meetings, such as the one taking place today (May 19) at Nkhwazi Lodge in Blantyre.
It is important to make this clear: these are not calls for electoral reform or greater transparency. These are not organic expressions of public concern. They are deliberate acts of sabotage orchestrated by politicians who see power not as a means to serve, but as a shield against accountability.
But in pursuing this path, the opposition is not only jeopardizing the 2025 elections; they are undermining themselves. By encouraging voter disillusionment and questioning the integrity of elections in advance, they risk depressing voter turnout—especially among their own base. If Malawians lose faith in the process, they may stay home. If they stay home, the opposition loses by default.
This is the fundamental irony: the DPP-led coalition is preparing to lose an election they could have contested fairly, because they fear the consequences of remaining outside power more than they believe in the power of ideas.
At the center of this campaign lies former President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM)—a man who once had the opportunity to write his name into the annals of Malawi’s democratic legacy with grace, wisdom, and statesmanship. Instead, he appears determined to torch the very house he once lived in.
At 86 years old, Mutharika should be mentoring future leaders, offering counsel on economic development, governance, and diplomacy. He should be serving as a guardian of peace, a sage whose words carry moral weight. But instead, he is financing chaos, deploying party funds and alliances to execute a strategy that will leave the country fractured and the democratic process disfigured.
Why?
Because legacy is no longer his objective, survival is. The survival of his shrinking political relevance. The survival of his inner circle. The survival of those who owe their freedom to the DPP’s return to power.
It is one of the great tragedies of our time that a man once entrusted with national stewardship is willing to reduce Malawi to rubble in pursuit of personal resurrection. What Arthur Peter Mutharika fails to realize—or worse, doesn’t care about—is that even if such a plan were to succeed, it would leave the country so bitterly divided, economically paralyzed, and institutionally broken that there would be nothing left to govern.
Mutharika’s current trajectory will not leave a legacy of development or peace, but of division and destruction. Malawi deserves better. And so does he—if he still aspires to be remembered as more than a cautionary tale.
Skeletons in the Cabinet: Why the DPP Fears the Ballot Box
To fully grasp the desperation behind this strategy, we must look beyond Mutharika himself and into the shadows of the DPP’s political machinery, particularly those who stand to lose the most if the opposition remains out of power.
Men like Norman “Pythius Hiwa” Chisale, former bodyguard and aide to Mutharika, loom large in this equation. Chisale, who has faced investigations and charges over corruption, abuse of office, and alleged involvement in shadowy security dealings, is emblematic of a broader group within the DPP that sees power not as a public mandate, but as an insurance policy.
Remaining in opposition places these individuals at legal and reputational risk. They fear the courtrooms more than the ballot boxes. They know that as long as they are out of power, their financial dealings, their abuse of office, and their impunity are vulnerable to scrutiny. Power, to them, is not just about influence; it is about survival, immunity, and protection.
This is why they cannot afford to play fair. This is why they would rather burn down the electoral system than risk losing again. This is why democracy itself has become a threat to them—because it is rooted in accountability, and accountability is what they fear most.
The plan to disrupt the elections, weaken MEC, and incite chaos is not about ideology, policy, or national development. It is about evasion. It is about escaping justice. It is about returning to a system where they controlled who got arrested, who got investigated, and who got silenced.
The High Cost of Voter Apathy
One of the most damaging consequences of this sabotage is the effect it will have on voter confidence and participation. Already, many Malawians are beginning to wonder whether their vote will count. When they hear about Smartmatic systems being demonized, voter rolls being questioned, and the very integrity of MEC under assault, they may ask, “Why bother voting at all?”
This is exactly what the opposition wants. Not because they have broad national support, but because they thrive on confusion and despair. When voter turnout is low, when people are disengaged, the playing field becomes easier to manipulate. The fewer the votes, the cheaper the election becomes to control.
But here is the risk they fail to see: if Malawians lose faith in elections, they won’t just stop voting; they will stop believing. They will turn to apathy, or worse—radicalism. And once that faith is lost, it is almost impossible to restore.
We must therefore defend this electoral process not because we support any one party, but because we support the idea that power should come from the people, not the backdoor deals and bankrolled chaos of politicians clinging to the past.
A Call to the Real Opposition
Not all opposition voices are complicit in this strategy. Many within the UDF, AFORD, and even the DPP itself understand the long-term damage that this path represents. To them, we say this: speak up. Reject this blueprint for destruction. Refuse to be co-opted into a scheme that puts short-term gains above national unity and democratic stability.
To the youth who will inherit this nation, do not be fooled by carefully staged protests and media briefings. Ask the hard questions: who is funding this? What is their motive? What future are they trying to build, if any?
And to civil society, stay vigilant. You are the guardians of democratic discourse. Do not allow yourselves to become weapons in political warfare. Your credibility is not for hire.
Malawi stands at a crossroads. On one path lies democracy, with all its flaws and frustrations but also its hope, its progress, and its promise. On the other lies a shortcut paved with manipulation, greed, and fear, a road that leads not to power, but to paralysis.
Arthur Peter Mutharika and the DPP have made their choice. But it is not too late for the rest of us to make ours. Let us choose peace over provocation. Justice over revenge. And the ballot over the bullet.
Because in the end, those who sabotage democracy may win a moment—but they always lose the future.
