The By-election

DPP lost two seats to independents. This must be cause for soul-searching on behalf of the party and its leadership. Immediately after the elections the party responses to the fact that quite a large number of independents had beaten DPP even in areas where the party’s presidential candidate had done well was that it would critically examine the factors behind that. Party officials hinted that they suspected the processes of primaries were flowed and too top down to capture local sensibilities and political realities. This again seems to be the situation in the recent primaries. Not much has happened at the level of national politics or economic performance to suggest a general swing away from Bingu and DPP.

The other striking thing about the result is the deafening silence of UDF. The party was simply nowhere to be seen or heard. Coming after the shocking defeat in the General elections it could be that the party is at a loss. Add on to that the fact that Bakili Muluzi did not provide the usual rallying buffoonery for the party.  The lgee over the results does not speak well of UDF’s future prospects.

Whatever factors lie behind this stunning result, the results raise serious questions about the ideologies, practices and structures of our political parties. Most still  tend          to function as personal fiefdoms or as the ruling party in a  one-party regime They seem to lack mechanisms for consulting with members and for gauging local opinion..

 

The results also clearly indicate that there is no room for complacency in Malawi politics. Malawi voters have demonstrated remarkable political maturity and will simply not vote for an individual because of the colour they carry even if the generally favour that particular party.

One should, of course, qualify the analysis by the fact that one of the constituencies involved is Ndirande – probably the country’s most sophisticated poltical constituency but also the most idosyncratic and unpredicatable. One needs to know more about what were the Ndirande issues during this campign before one can draw nation-wide implications from the results. Similarly for Malawa we need what were the local politics.  Right now our media and its “Gurus”,   fixated as they are with national politics,  are unlikely to shed much light.

For individual MPs, the by-elections must also be a reminder that their own fate  does not entirely depend on Bingu’s support. They must make their own mark in the eyes of their own local constituencies.  Sycomphany and just sitting Phwii in parliament wont help much.

The by-election speaks well of the health of our democratic institutions. Once again, our key institutions seem to have worked well. This is our fourth democratic elections. We have good cause to hope that democratic politics  is entrenched in Malawi.

 The by-election also points to the need to spped up  local government elections. In the absence of such local level democratic institutions, every local grievance will turn national because it also at that level people’s views are given democratic hearing , albeit once every five years.