The DPP, UDF and Aford alliance has finally been rendered a dead on arrival case with some believing it might already be a corpse in the morgue, waiting for a political autopsy and burial. This follows Arthur Peter Mutharika decision to pick Enoch Kamzingeni Chihana as his running mate ahead of the September 16 high-stakes elections.
When the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF), and Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) signed their alliance agreement, the declared aim was to create a formidable electoral force capable of unseating the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in the September 2025 General Elections.
That dream, already fragile due to underlying political contradictions, has been thrown on the verge of implosion. The choice of Chihana, in all senses, is a deeply polarizing move with the news already fracturing the alliance beyond repair. The move has already exposed the glaring fault lines between the partners, particularly within DPP and UDF ranks.
To begin with, Aford, under the leadership of young Chihana, is a shadow of its former self. While the party holds some residual influence in parts of the northern region, particularly in Rumphi, its national presence has been greatly diminished.
In the 2019 elections, its performance paled in comparison to all other parties even with the UDF, which despite waning fortunes, still commands a minimalistic loyal base in the eastern region and parts of the southern region.
Given this context, the choice of Chihana as Mutharika’s running mate defies conventional political logic. It is all about greed and selfishness especially on the part of Mutharika’s minders who include his trusted aid Norman “Pythius Hiwa” Chisale, former First Lady Gertrude Mutharika, DPP Vice President Central Alfred Gangata, and DPP Secretary General Peter Mukhitho.
Within the DPP itself, the move has deepened the already growing discontent. The party faithful are questioning the wisdom of Mutharika’s decision, particularly considering the President’s advanced age and visibly declining health. Should anything happen to Mutharika during the presidency, the alliance would inadvertently hand over state power to Chihana and Aford, a prospect many DPP loyalists find unpalatable and politically suicidal.
Top DPP officials have expressed fear that this could become a case of “winning power only to lose it internally.” With the presidency and key decision-making powers potentially falling into the hands of a politically weak partner, the DPP could find itself in government but out of power. The new has already demoralized the party’s southern region base with most of the supporter there openly indicating that with Chihana in the picture the DPP should forget getting their vote.
If the DPP is worried, the UDF is livid. There is growing frustration among UDF stalwarts who feel betrayed by Mutharika’s unilateralism. Sources within the UDF indicate that the party had expected a more structured and consultative approach to choosing the running mate. After all, the alliance agreement emphasized proportional strength, joint strategy, and collective decision-making.
Atupele Muluzi, a two-time presidential contender and former cabinet minister, has long positioned himself as a national leader. The snub not only insults his political stature but also undermines the UDF’s relevance in the alliance. UDF loyalists argue that if numerical and geographical strength matter, then Muluzi should have been the obvious choice. The party has already threatened to dump the alliance that they see as undervaluing it.
One plausible reason behind Mutharika’s choice may be the need for regional balance. With the DPP’s dominance in the southern region, the party may be attempting to court the northern vote through Chihana. This could be seen as living in a dreamland to the old man. It is clear that the northern region is already in the Malawi Congress Party’s bag.
Now the decision has also exposed the DPP and Muthrika as to their intention of courting the UDF and Aford into an alliance. It shows that the alliance was not designed to bring the spirit of equal partnership and mutual respect which it has been shown that it is clearly lacking.
By settling on Chihana without consensus, Mutharika has demonstrated that the alliance is not one of equals but of subordinates.
Now, the biggest winner in all this is the MCP. Already, the MCP has been campaigning on a platform of stability, continuity, and development. It can now add another line to its campaign: the opposition is in chaos, riddled with mistrust, and lacks a credible alternative.
It would not be an exaggeration that with this decision by APM, the DPP-Aford-UDF alliance has spectacularly failed. This may not just be a dead-on-arrival alliance; it might already be a corpse in the morgue, waiting for a political autopsy and burial.
