Call me president of the UDF and not national chairman, so says Atupele Muluzi.

‘Call me president of the UDF and not national chairman’, so says Atupele Muluzi.

The newly elected politburo of Malawi’s opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) sanctioned to change the nomenclature of its leader from National Chairman to President. ‘The UDF National Executive Committee met and resolved to abolish the position of National Chairman because it was confusing some members,’ Ken Ndanga, the UDF spokesman, told PANA Monday.

The title national chairman was coined by Atupele’s father Bakili Muluzi as a way of retaining power over the UDF and subsequently the govt when he finished his two year terms as president of the republic.

While Bakili Muluzi did retain the power in UDF he failed to gain any powers in the govt as his anointed successor Bingu wa Mutharika rebelled from the UDF and formed his own party, the DPP.

UDF has ever since been banished to the opposition and has been struggling with internal fights.

Ndanga said the UDF’s newly-elected National Chairman, Atupele Austin Muluzi, will now be referred to as President. Muluzi was elected at the party’s national convention 30 October.

Ndanga said the party has also incorporated five members to the National Executive, including Mosses Dossi and Ruth Takomana – both of whom challenged Muluzi for the party leadership.

Atupele Muluzi is scheduled to contest the 2014 presidential elections on the UDF ticket, but his chances are slim. His is likely to contest against President Joyce Banda of the Peoples Party and former ruling Democratic Progressive Party.