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Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) president Kamlepo Kalua has called on all opposition parties in the country to speedily form an alliance and elect a president and running mate.
Speaking in an interview, Kalua said unity of opposition parties is “very important in order to dislodge UDF from power. He condemned recent remarks in the media by some leaders of newly formed political parties saying they will not entertain leaders with unclean records in the coalition.
“The alliance should not be formed with conditions that will prevent others. For the sake of the people of this country we need a collective leadership,” he said.
Kalua said his party has set July 28 as a tentative day for all political parties to meet and form the alliance. He said he has consulted the Public Affairs Committee (Pac) through chair Father Boniface Tamani to facilitate the union.
“Parties that have the will of the people at heart will definitely report. Those that won’t come will mean they have personal interests in their political careers,” he said and suggested that the alliance be known as United Republic Alliance (Urea).
Asked on whether the alliance will not be marred by leadership wrangles which have been seen in some parties, Kalua said election of leaders will be left in the hands of the people to choose who they want, adding that MDP is ready to accept any leader from a different party.
Tamani, however, said that although it is a good idea for political parties to unite in the run-up to next year’s general elections, Pac has not yet decided on Kalua’s call for it to facilitate the alliance.
“He said it [to me] but I did not confirm on whether Pac will facilitate union. That will need Pac to discuss it as a group,” he said. “However I don’t rule it out completely.”
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