Critics hit at Mutharika for refusing to groom successor
Political critics are up in arms criticizing President Peter Mutharika for his decision not to groom a successor for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership.
Mutharika, who is in his second and final constitutional five-year term of office told Al Jazeera TV that the DPP should have a democratic process to elect the next leader.
But scholar and social commentator Lyson Sibande says President Mutharika himself was groomed to be the successor.
“Grooming a successor does not mean the person won’t have to go through a convention. Mutharika himself must be the first to understand and appreciate the importance of grooming a successor since that was the only reason DPP survived the death of Bingu and won the 2014 elections from the opposition benches,” says Sibande.
He says principles of democracy must be upheld but it is also important to understand the vulnerability of Malawi’s tender democracy.
“Groom someone else. You don’t have to tell the world that you are grooming so and so, just start positioning the person and everything will fall in its place,” says Sibande.
Davie Mkwamba, also writing on his Facebook wall said former president Bakili Muluzi groomed Bingu wa Mutharika to be the next president despite fierce opposition from the top hierarchy of the United Democratic Front (UDF).
“President Mutharika himself is the indirect beneficiary of this grooming and anointing by Bakili on Bingu,” said Mkwamba.
However, some political analysts say some leaders are naturally emerging in DPP with Agriculture minister Kondwani Nankhumwa being among the frontline possible successors.
Nankhumwa will likely face a challenge at the 2023 party convention from Local government minister Ben Phiri, Justice minister Bright Msaka, former Justice minister Samuel Tembenu, among others.
You people are terrible. In democracy there is no such a thing like grooming a successor. That creates a mornach. Ngati mulibe zodzudzula just shut up. Akapanga groom mkazi wake or someone you will be the first pple to condemn him kuti he is being triabalist etc . Go to hell you guys.
Sometimes I think these idiots who call themselves analysts, critics and this and that are all idiots and they only speak so as to remain relevant.
Good Point
Will these so called critics ever give us a break? I mean, come on, when Bingu was grooming Peter, the same critics admonished Bingu for that. Today Peter says he will not groom anyone but the party will democratically choose, the critics are at it again, “hitting at Mutharika”. Hahaha
Mmalo moti mudziyika zachitukuko malingana ndi chipani cha azanu
Tawonani anthu amene aku nenedwa bright msaka, nankhumwa , ben phiri hahaha malawi wanga ine chonde
Anthu amenewa angakhale president …. aaaa bolaso chilima and chakwera
That is a DPP family issue. As of now the vice is there mukufunaso chani choposa pamenepa
are they political critics or UTM/MCP mercenaries???
HYPOCRISY!!!!!! WHO IS CHAKWERA GROOMING???? OR CHILIMA???? THE CRITICS SHOULD RATHER ATTACK CHAKWERA BECAUSE HIS TERM ENDED!!!
VERY TRUE…CHAKWERA SHOULD BE CRITICISED
On this I personally agree with APM. Malawi is not a monarch but a democracy. Let the real leader prove himself rather than being handpicked.
I doubt the so called critics akumudzi kuno…
My question is how is the one to be groomed going to be chosen, Is it the president to choose or there is an established rule as to who is to succeed when the president leaves office. Am asking this question cos in other countries in Africa citizens have accused the Head of State of biasness in hand picking his successor. If that is the case let party constitutions state clearly whether it the running mate or any member of the party can vie for the position.