Political parties faulted for failing to follow principles of democracy

By Robert Kumwenda

In 1994, Malawi emerged from thirty years of dictatorship under the life President Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

During those years, the people of Malawi did not effectively participate in political, economic or cultural decision making process.

After the advert of multiparty democracy Malawians saw tremendous improvement in human rights conditions.

Malawians voted for democracy so that they should be able to express their views and choose leaders of their choice.

But this has not been the case in some political parties where people who seem to have dissenting views against the way how some party affairs are handled have been suspended and others being expelled.

Professor John Chisi leader for the opposition Umodzi Party (UP) says that lack of intra-party democracy which is failing to flourish in political parties is one of the contributing factor to the problems the country is currently because people are not given chance to choose leaders of their choice.

He said political leaders do not hear the truth but lies that is the reason why they fail in elections.

“In Umodzi Party everyone is free to and allowed to criticize where we are going wrong because as a party we can do better, the same applies to the government,” he said.

Chisi said the other problem is to do with the issue of ownership of the party saying some political parties are owned by individuals that is the reason why leaders of those political parties are on top of everyone.

He said that they need change their mindset and understand that they are the servants of the people that is the reason why Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were removed in South Africa.

“If political parties fail to embrace the principles of democracy then it means that we have not changed from the old system Malawi Congress Party (MCP),” he said.

The up leader said this should be a wakeup call to Malawians are the country is going towards 2019 polls to choose leaders who accept criticism.
Chancellor College polical science lecture Professor Chijere Chirwa on his one public lecture said things things are changing globally and people are choosing leaders who have new ideas and new way of thinking.