In a surprising political turn, Bright Malopa, a former senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) strategist during the Bingu wa Mutharika era, has come out in full support of President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, saying the President deserves a second term in office.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on Times TV on Saturday night, Malopa praised President Chakwera’s leadership, especially his strong record on infrastructure development, good governance and the rule of law. He said that the President has shown clear leadership and has a strong chance of winning the upcoming presidential election set for September 16.
Malopa, a former Malawi Broadcasting Corporation Director General who also once played a key role in the DPP under the late President Bingu wa Mutharika, said Chakwera has surprised many by continuing development projects started by previous governments, a rare move in Malawi’s politics, where new administrations often abandon their predecessors’ plans.
“President Chakwera has shown maturity by continuing development projects from past administrations. That kind of consistency is what Malawi needs,” Malopa said.
He also applauded the President’s efforts in driving major infrastructure developments across the country, calling the progress “unprecedented.”
However, Malopa in a show of rare wisdom did not hold back in warning the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP). He said there are some within the party who are already looking past the 2025–2030 term and positioning themselves to take over from President Chakwera, instead of focusing on the upcoming election.
He accused some senior party members of pushing their personal ambitions, including campaigning to be Chakwera’s running mate, rather than working together to ensure MCP’s victory in September.
“There’s too much selfishness and early jostling for future positions. This is distracting the party from the real task — winning this year’s election,” Malopa warned.
He urged the MCP leadership to unite and campaign with one message and one goal: re-electing President Chakwera. He also reminded the party to uphold its traditional values, famously known as the Four Cornerstones — unity, loyalty, obedience, and discipline.
Bright Malopa was once a powerful figure in the DPP and served as a marketing, media and communications strategist under Bingu wa Mutharika. At MBC, he was known for his strong loyalty to the DPP government at the time.
His endorsement of President Chakwera, who came to power by defeating the DPP-backed Peter Mutharika in the 2020 court-ordered fresh elections, signals a major shift in political allegiances and could influence perceptions among undecided voters.
