Analyst says Atupele ‘convicing’ in final Malawi presidential debate: Chilima rated overall winner

Al g overnance expert and political commentator has rated United Democratic Front’s Atupele Muluzi as the winner of   last presidential debate but said  current Vice-President Saulos Chilima of the UTM Party as overall winner of this year’s series of televised debates.

In an analysis and rating, Makhumbo Munthali who has been part of the audience during the three series of the presidential debate, said UDF’s Muluzi  was the “most convincing” candidate in Final televised debate after abandoning his confrontational approach to the debate witnessed in the previous debate.

He, however, said Chilima has scored as the overall winner.

Giving his general overview of the debates, Munthali credited  the 2019 presidential debates taskforce  ehich consisted of Misa-Malawi, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Times Group and Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZB) for a “well organised debate full of class.”

Apart from Muluzi and Chilima, Malawi Congress Party- MCP’s Lazrus Chakwera,  Umodzi Party’s John Chisi, Peter Kuwani of Mbakuwaku Movement for Democracy (MMD) and Independent candidate Reverend Hardwick Kaliya were the other candidates who participated in the debate while incumbent President Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Tisinthe Alliance candidate Cassim Chilumpha did not participate in the debate.

Munthali said Mutharika’s snub was “a missed opportunity” and that the inclusion of the small candidate as a blessing in disguise.

Here is how he rates the candidates.

How did they fair individually?

1. Articulation of issues, composure and eloquence

• Atupele Muluzi -9/10 –

• Saulos Chilima-7/10

• Lazarus Chakwera – 7/10

• John Chisi – 5/10

• Kuwani – 4/10

• Kaliya -2/10

2. Focused,  detailed and persuasive

• Atupele Muluzi – 7/10

• Saulos Chilima -9/10

• Lazarus Chakwera – 8/10

• John Chisi -4/10

• Kaliya -1/10

• Kuwani – 4/10

3. Readiness to govern Malawi based on how they handled the 100 days into office question

• Atupele Muluzi – 7/10

• Saulos Chilima – 9/10

• Lazarus Chakwera – 8/10

• Kaliya -1/10

• Chisi – 4/10

• Kuwani -2/10

4. Who is more ready to unify Malawi across political, ethnic diversity?

• Atupele Muluzi – 8/10

• Lazarus Chakwera – 9/10

• Saulos Chilima – 8/10

• Chisi -4/10

• Kuwani-4/10

• Kaliya-6/10

How did they fare in responding to questions?

5. What have you learnt from the past about leadership which you want to adopt to use as President?

• Atupele Muluzi – 8

• Saulos Chilima – 7

• Lazarus Chakwera -7

• Chisi -6

• Kuwani -6

• Kaliya – 5

6. What choices will you make to deliver Malawi from the catastrophe of poverty?

• Atupele Muluzi -5

• Saulos Chilima – 5

• Lazarus Chakwera-5

• John Chisi -6

• Peter Kuwani – 4

• Kaliya 3

7. Malawi is rich in policy but poor in implementation. What will you do to turn this around?

• Saulos Chilima – 7

• Lazarus Chakwera -7

• Atupele Muluzi – 6

• Chisi-5

• Kaliya-3

• Kuwani-4

8. How will you incorporate ideas of those who lost in the election (the opposition)?

• Lazarus Chakwera – 8

• Saulos Chilima – 6

• Atupele Muluzi-6

• Chisi-4

• Kaliaya-2

• Kuwani-3

9. How you will address the issue of unemployment of youths (i.e. graduates) and lack of fees by youths leading to dropouts?

• Saulos Chilima- 8

• Lazarus Chakwera-7

• Atupele Muluzi- 7

• Chisi-5

• Kuwani-5

• Kaliya-3

10. What will your government do to reduce inequalities (economic) between the rich and the poor?

• Lazarus Chakwera – 5

• Saulos Chilima – 5

• Peter Kuwani- 5

• Atupele Muluzi -8

• Chisi-4

• Kalia -4

11. On Climate change and access to quality water didn’t closely follow.  Otherwise, these candidates didn’t give convincing responses on how they would address the challenges.

12. What will you do to improve arts or solve challenges affecting artists?

• Atupele Muluzi- 8

• Peter Kuwani – 5

• Chisi-4

• Lazarus Chakwera 5-

• Saulos Chilima – 5

• Kaliya -31

First round of Presidential debates:

• 1. Atupele- 40%
  2. Chilima- 65%
  3. Chakwera- 63%3rd round of debate
  1. Atupele-73%
  2. Chilima-69%
  3. Chakwera-69%

  Overall winner of the Presidential debates:
  1. Chilima-67%
  2.Chakwera-65%
  3. Atupele-55%

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