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| National |
| NDA, Mgode out of coalition |
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by
Mabvuto Banda, 22 January 2004
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18:22:41
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National Democratic Alliance and the Movement for Genuine Democratic Change (Mgode) have pulled out of the opposition parties coalition and will not be signing the memorandum of understanding on Friday at Mount Soche as scheduled.
The two parties disclosed in separate interviews that they are considering other plausible options outside the coalition after being convinced that they have been infiltrated and that other parties having nothing to offer.
NDA organising secretary Peter Chupa accused smaller parties of being used and being interested in the presidency only and Mgode spokesperson Greene Mwamondwe suspected UDF plants in the coalition.
“We will not be signing because we have been infiltrated by other parties being used by the UDF and the other reason is that we are not happy with some issues like the way to choose a leader and the that small parties want equal cabinet posts if we go into power,” Mwamondwe said.
Chupa said that most parties are so engrossed into getting the presidency and ignoring the real issues like monitoring registration.
“I mean we are fighting to get into government and not for the presidency. Right now we have the voter registration going on, tell me which parties are doing anything like monitoring. How do you expect to get into government when all you are doing to sit and watch?” Chupa said.
He named NDA and MCP as the only parties monitoring the registration process throughout the country with two monitors each at every station.
A University of Malawi political scientist Boniface Dulani commented with caution. He warned that both parties have no experience in elections and that this development opens up chances of UDF winning.
“This might end up like the Zambian scenario were we had a lot of parties to challenge the ruling party and failed,” he said adding that this confirms the mindset of leaders who go into alliances thinking too much of themselves.
He cautioned NDA and Mgode that they have no experience in elections. He said that both of them got their popularity under different banners.
“NDA come from UDF and Mgode from Aford, so they cannot claim their popularity yet until they prove this coming elections.
Another political scientist on Thursday described the decisions as a threat to the coalition and a win for the ruling UDF if the situation is not addressed immediately.
Meanwhile, sources said on Thursday that NDA, Mgode and MCP have been discussing a separate alliance outside the coalition.
Mwamondwe confirmed that as Mgode they have been approached by both NDA and MCP but that nothing has been finalised.
But on Thursday, MCP acting secretary general Kate Kainja declined to comment on the alliance saying that she is not competent enough to discuss that.
When asked if they are contemplating other options apart from the coalition. Kainja said that all she knows is that they will be attending the signing ceremony on Friday.
The clergy, Bishop James Tengantenga, Reverend Billy Gama, Bishop Geofrey Matoga, who were facilitating the talks, could not be reached to comment on the latest development.
NDA boosts of having popularity in the South, the North and the Central Region while Mgode claims to have control over the Northern Region after breaking away from Chakufwa Chihana’s Aford last year.
The coalition talks have been going on for more than four months now with representation from nine parties. Today the parties minus NDA and Mgode meet to endorse the new name of the grouping to be called Mgwirizano, a white flag and a candle as their symbol.
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