My Perception On Malawi Elections
This year's elections are promising to be the most exciting ever in Malawi. There certain factors that make our elections unique. First is the fact that one of the key political parties contesting in the elections is the ruling party, the Democrartyic Progerssive Party (DPP), that was never ever eleected by the electorate for it to be in power. Another interesting aspect is that the former ruling party, the United Democratic Party (UDF), is not fielding a presidential candiate after its leader, Bakili Muluzi, was rejected by the Electoral Commission, which has forced the party to go into an alliance with another leading positiion, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) which is also the oldest party in the country.
The foregoing factors have made these elections not only unique in their own ways, but have also been characterised by tension and confusion. Reports show that currently some of the electorate in some oparts of the country, especially in the south, are not very sure whether Muluzi will contest or not, since Muluzi has challenged MEC' withdrawal in the High Court, despite the fact that his party is in alliance with MCP which has declared MCP's President, John Tembo, as its Alliance Persidential candidate.
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