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| National |
| Parties, civil society react to UDF convention |
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by
Gedion Munthali, 11 August 2003
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17:48:58
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Opposition parties and democracy watchdogs on Monday commended the UDF for holding the first convention in 10 years but claimed the elections, which chose the party’s presidential candidate and a new executive committee, were pre-arranged.
Main opposition MCP deputy publicity secretary Steve Ching’ang’a said his party hopes the ruling party will hold conventions regularly as stipulated in its constitution, and not operate with an executive that does not have the mandate of the people as it did for the past 10 years.
“We hope the ruling party will not hold its next convention after 20 years,” said Ching’ang’a. “They are capable of doing that because they held their last convention some 10 years ago and had since operated without the people’s mandate.”
UDF publicity secretary Ken Lipenga, then deputy publicity secretary, said, after the party’s mini-convention which endorsed its new constitution, that the party never took pride in the failure to hold a convention after the one in 1993, but it was restrained by resources.
“But as a democratic party we will make sure that we hold the conventions as stipulated in our constitution (after every five years),” said Lipenga.
Commenting on elections of Bingu Mutharika as presidential candidate and the executive committee where only two people retained their positions with Muluzi at the helm as national chair, Ching’ang’a said everything that happened as Nation reported ahead of the convention.
“They may argue that some people, as opposed to those mentioned in the article, took positions on the executive. But what is interesting is that the people which the newspaper mentioned to have been earmarked for particular positions, contested for them or withdrew right in the hall, got elected or defeated,” observed Ching’ang’a. “We do not think the elections were democratic.”
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) director of publicity Salule Masangwi said his party does not think the elections were democratic because all “sound aspirants” for the presidential candidature were intimidated and victimised, forcing some of them to resign from the party and executive committee or withdraw their candidature last minute.
“We insist Mutharika was just rubberstamped. No sensible person can claim that the elections were democratic because Moses Dossi challenged Mutharika. Dossi was allowed because Muluzi knew that he is not a meanigiful contender.
“Why did the same Muluzi (who allowed Dossi) victimise Aleka Banda and Harry Thomson when they showed interest to contest? We also know that Sam Mpasu and Cassim Chilumpha were suppressed from contesting the position,” said Masangwi. “That was not a contest, it was a joke.”
Dossi, who lost miserably to Mutharika, said the fact that he was allowed to contest proves that UDF is a democratic party, saying he will respect the results.
Both Ching’ang’a and Masangwi said separately that the new executive does not pose any threat to their parties “more so that their presidential candidate is insisting that he is going to be Muluzi’s copy cat.”
Forum for the Defence of Democrary (FDD) Daniel Gunya welcomed the holding of the convention after a long time and the election of the new executive, wishing however it should have included some founding members.
He nevertheless maintained that another party must take over the reins of power next year to correct the failures of the UDF, “and I do not regret having made the stand of FDD known on this issue, because it is made on the question of principles accompanied by objectivity.”
“I agree the UDF has made some positive strides on the human rights front, but the party has totally failed to manage social economic issues of the country. The multilateral donors are withdrawing aid because of mismanagement. These are some of the gaps another party must be given a chance to fill,” said Gunya.
Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) chair Rodgers Newa commended the peaceful atmosphere in which the convention was held, but observed “the fact that President Muluzi campaigned vigourously for Bingu (Mutharika) way before the convention and rubbished any other aspirant is testimony that the elections were not democratic and fair”.
“It will be wrong for anyone in the UDF to think that the country does not know the process that was used to chose Bingu, the campaigns Muluzi has been holding for him using state resources, and the intimidation and castigations of all other aspirants, including Dossi. You cannot describe such a process as fair,” said Newa.
Convention organising committee chair Rodwell Munyenyembe, who lost to lawyer Raphael Mhone in the race for the position of second deputy national chair, and election committee chair retired judge William Hanjahanja said separately the elections were transparent, free and fair.
“The elections were held in a transparent, free and fair atmosphere. The contesting candidates were asked to verify the results and sign for them in our presence. Surely any fair-minded person cannot say the process was unfair,” said Hanjahanja.
Newa also accused Muluzi of breaking the electoral law by starting to campaign for Mutharika ahead of presidential candidates for other political parties, urging the electoral commission to intervene.
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