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He never shies away from controversy. Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) president Kamlepo Kalua has confessed that although he is supporting Bakili Muluzi’s come back in 2009 he believes the former head of state is wrong to seek re-election after serving two five-year terms.
Kalua said he was only supporting Muluzi because they are both in opposition and to help the former president to correct a serious political and constitutional anomaly created by President Bingu wa Mutharika when he dumped the United Democratic Front (UDF), a party that sponsored him into power.
The MDP leader, who along with the New Republican Party (NRP) president Gwanda Chakuamba has vehemently supported Muluzi’s come back, also said his support for Muluzi does not mean he has completely ruled himself out of the 2009 presidential race.
However, political analysts, who have warned Muluzi against trusting Kalua and Chakuamba too much, described Kalua’s thinking as ‘crippled and very fallacious’.
The political analysts also said Kalua would be wasting his time to think that after supporting Muluzi’s come back he would still have the political clout to contest the 2009 elections.
Since Chakuamba, Kalua and other politicians joined hands with Muluzi to campaign for the former head of state’s return, some UDF executive members have been silently watching the circus while others have openly accused Muluzi’s ‘guests’ of damaging the party.
The political analysts, however, see the relationship as not only a source of confusion in the UDF but also a calculated move by Chakuamba that may see him taking over the party’s presidential candidature in the event that Muluzi fails to stand.
But party spokesperson Sam Mpasu ruled out Chakuamba’s chances, saying that would be chaotic for the party as no supporter would want to support the former Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president.
In an interview, Kalua described Muluzi’s come back as “a wrong” that will be used to correct another “wrong”, referring to Mutharika’s dumping of the UDF to form his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
“We say two wrongs do not make a right but for the first time two wrongs will make a right. I am supporting Muluzi to correct a very serious political and constitutional anomaly,” said Kalua.
Kalua, who was critical of Muluzi’s administration and vehemently fought both Muluzi’s open and third term bids, said he has made the U-turn because both Muluzi and he are in opposition and share the common interest of removing Mutharika from power.
“Should I continue opposing a party which is in the opposition? That will be like fighting somebody who is dead already and you want to fight even his grave. My principle is that I always side with the weak,” he said.
Kalua said the fact that he is now supporting Muluzi does not mean that once the UDF national chair is back into power he will have a free ride with him.
He said if the former head of state would not work according to people’s wishes, he should expect another tough time from him.
He described Muluzi as a “new, changed and listening man” who is able to accept criticism from his colleagues.
Kalua said he was also supporting Muluzi because he believes that if the UDF chair is brought back into government he would help to correct some flaws of the current government, citing “the ever increasing prices of commodities like fuel” as one of the ills.
“I know Muluzi can now perform better than the last time he was in government. He is now well matured since he is somebody who has gone through a lot of lessons. He has learnt a lot and I think he can do better,” he said.
On whether he has completely ruled himself out of the 2009 race, Kalua said: “I can stand in 2009. Currently, we are trying to coordinate efforts and if all goes according to plan we will support Muluzi but if some feel we are not wanted, they don’t want to work with us as MDP then I will stand on an MDP ticket.”
Mzuzu University Political Analyst Noel Mbowela said Kalua’s thinking was crippled and fallacious.
“Just because somebody has done something wrong and you do something wrong to make a right? That is a confrontational way of handling things. It is faulty thinking. It is very strange to hear such type of thinking,” he said.
Mbowela also said it was surprising that Kalua was expressing sentiments about Muluzi being a changed man only after the former president has shown interest of contesting the 2009 elections.
He, however, warned Muluzi that he should be careful of the support from Kalua and Chakuamba since as politicians the two have their own ambitions.
Another political analyst Augustine Magolowondo of Institute for Multiparty Democracy (IMD) said if Kalua wants to contest the 2009 elections he would not have an easy ride after aligning himself to Muluzi.
“If he wants to contest he has to build his own political identity. Yes, as politicians they have the right to associate with everyone but in the process they have to mind whose identity they are promoting. Can the voters look at them as different from the other candidates?” wondered Magolowondo.
Mbowela hinted that unlike Kalua who might have given up on his chances of winning the presidency, Chakuamba might be looking further than a mere cabinet post and could be making careful calculations that might land him the UDF presidential candidacy.
Commenting on Chakuamba’s political manoeuvres since going out of prison whereby he has been jumping from one party to another, Mbowela said his association with Muluzi and UDF now can be looked at as last attempts to prolong his political career through the UDF, a party he dumped in 1993 to join the MCP.
“Last time he hinted that he was going on retirement and we saw him coming back but this time if he fails to realise his dreams it would be real. He is more likely to disappear and I don’t think he will come back,” said Mbowela.
Chakuamba, when approached for his comment, chose to keep the issues surrounding his relationship with Muluzi and the UDF to himself.
Mpasu, however, said there is no chance of Chakuamba getting the presidential candidature of the UDF.
He said what was clear is that if Muluzi goes back to power Chakuamba and Kalua — are hoping to get ministerial posts.
“To go so far as to suggest that Chakuamba will be the presidential candidate would be overstretching matters because people in the UDF would not want to see another Bingu scenario in 2009. If the situation comes to that it would be a disaster for the UDF, many members would not want to vote for him,” said Mpasu.
He also said the fact was that Chakuamba was only supporting Muluzi’s candidature to get rid of Mutharika but in the event that Muluzi is not standing Chakuamba himself has already made it clear that he will contest in 2009 on NRP ticket.
Commenting on Kalua’s sentiments that Mutharika caused a serious constitutional anomaly, DPP Secretary General Hetherwick Ntaba said what Mutharika did cannot be said to be an anomaly since there is no constitutional provision he contravened.
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