From despotism to democracy: The rise of multiparty politics in Malawi

Third World Quarterly

Volumn 18, Issue 2, 1997, Pages 225-248

  Ihonvbere, Julius O ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

DEMOCRATISATION; PARTY POLITICS;

MALAWI;

EID: 0031474681     PISSN: 01436597     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/01436599714920     Document Type: Article

References (62)

1. Melinda Ham & Mike Hall, 'Malawi - from tyranny to tolerance', Africa Report, Vol 39, No 6, 1994, p 56.
2. Denis Venter, 'Malawi: the transition to multi-party polities', in John Wiseman (ed), Democracy and Political Change in Sub-Saharan Africa, London: Routledge, 1995, p 155.
3. Ibid, p 35.
4. Venter, 'Malawi', p 155.
5. Ibid, p 156. Venter notes also that the Malawian state was 'predatory' and it entailed a 'mutually reinforcing political and economic system in which the dominant minority of the political elite and their economic agencies preyed on the populace for their own benefit and at the expense of the absolute welfare of a majority of the population and long-term development goals'.
6. Venter, 'Malawi', p 159.
7. Ibid, pp 160-161.
8. Quoted in 'Malawi - Anger builds up', Africa Research Bulletin, March 1992, p 10509.
9. See Melinda Ham, 'Loosening the reins?', Africa Report, Vol. 38, No 1, 1993, pp 29-31.
10. Quoted in ibid.
11. Ham, 'Loosening the reins?'
12. Ibid.
13. Venter, 'Malawi', p 157.
14. Ibid, p 159.
15. 'Malawi - democracy poll date', Africa Research Bulletin, 1992, p 10818.
16. 'Malawi - new pressure group', Africa Research Bulletin, September 1992, p 10719.
17. 'Malawi - anger builds up'.
18. Turnout nationally was a mere 40% and in the main commercial cities it ranged between 10% and 20%. Designed to give the impression that political liberalisation was already in place and to convince donors to resume aid to the country, the referendum failed to convince lenders, donors, and pro-democracy agitators.
19. 'Malawi - the old man and his chickens', BBC Focus on Africa, Vol. 4, No 4, 1993.
20. Venter, 'Malawi', p 176.
21. Jan Kees van Donge, 'Kamuzu's legacy: the demoralization of Malawi', African Affairs, No 94, 1995, p 235.
22. 'Malawi - the old man and his Chickens'.
23. The AFORD was not entirely 'MCP free' because Rodwell Munyanyembe, a founding member of AFORD had served as MCP secretary-general and cabinet minister.
24. Melinda Ham, 'Malawi - Banda's last waltz', Africa Report Vol 38, 3, May-June 1993, p 19. Mlombwa Phiri, the MCP chairman for Dedza actually killed a police commander for not resisting multipartyism. He was condemned to death for his actions.
25. Van Donge, 'Kamuzu's legacy', p 235.
26. 'Malawi - the old man and his chickens'.
27. Van Donge, 'Kamuzu's Legacy', p 246.
28. Ibid, p 237.
29. Ibid.
30. Venter, 'Malawi'.
31. Ibid, p 176.
32. See BBC Focus on Africa Vol 4, No 3, 1993, p 61. When Banda was hospitalised for a 'shrunken brain' in South Africa, the leaders of the UDF and AFORD sent messages wishing him well and a speedy recovery. Such moves, well intentioned and good in themselves, also convinced the public that Banda might, after all, not be that bad.
33. Van Donge, 'Kamuzu's legacy', p 264.
34. Ibid.
35. 'Malawi - Banda's days numbered?', Africa Research Bulletin, September 1992, p 10720.
36. Aside from the 'executive' vice presidency which Chihana demanded for himself, he also wanted seven other ministerial portfolios, including agriculture, justice, works and supplies, a 43% quota of deputy ministers, as well as a quota of parastatal and diplomatic positions. For a party that came a distant third, these were rather ridiculous demands. Chihana knew that the demands were selfish, hence his party insisted that such a deal should not be made public. The UDF demanded that any deal had to be made public and disagreement on this and other issues scuttled possibilities for an initial deal.
37. Melinda Ham & Mike Hall, 'Building Democracy' Interview with President Bakili Mulzi, Africa Report Vol 39, 6, November-December 1994, p. 61.
38. Van Donge, 'Kamuzu's legacy', pp 249-250.
39. Venter, 'Malawi', p 179.
40. Following a major cabinet reshuffle in mid-1996, Muluzi dismissed Chihana from his cabinet. The new cabinet did not include a second vice president. Though Chihana announced that he had resigned from the cabinet and government, his political credibility had been eroded. This will certainly have some effect on his party's political fortunes.
41. It is possible that, by forging an alliance with the MCP, the UDF became thoroughly marginalised in parliament. This certainly prompted Muluzi into making far-reaching concessions to AFORD to lure it away from an alliance with the MCP, to the extent of creating an unconstitutional position of second vice-president. Yet, if that was the AFORD strategy, the cost was too heavy for the pro-democracy front. Whatever the end result, it demonstrated crass opportunism and emphasised raw power at the expense of deepening the democratic struggle. At the end of the day, neither the UDF not MCP will have any respect for Chihana and the AFORD.
42. 'Malawi - coalition government', Africa Research Bulletin, August 1995, p 11943.
43. Van Donge, 'Kamuzu's legacy', p 243.
44. 'Malawi - democratic pain', Africa Confidential, Vol 36, No 2, June 1995, p 6.
45. 'Malawi - Banda pleads "Not Guilty"', Africa Research Bulletin, July 1995, p 11923.
46. Ibid.
47. Ibid.
48. Ibid.
49. See 'Malawi - army commander killed', Africa Research Bulletin, April 1995, p 11829. The murder forced President Muluzi to postpone his scheduled trip to Kuwait. In late April, Lieutenant-General Owen Muluni was promoted to the rank of general and made commander of the army.
50. 'Malawi - crime wave', Africa Research Bulletin, May 1995, p 11859.
51. 'Malawi - bad memories', Africa Confidential Record, Vol 36, No 25, December 1995, p 4.
52. Reported in ibid.
53. Ibid.
54. Ibid.
55. Ham & Hall, 'Building democracy', p 60.
56. Ibid.
57. Andrew Meldrum, 'Malawi - new actors, same play', Africa Report, Vol 39, No 4, 1994, p 53.
58. Ham & Hall, 'Malawi: from tyranny to tolerance', p 57.
59. Kalera Mhango, editor of New Voice, quoted in ibid.
60. Ham & Hall, 'Malawi: from tyranny to tolerance', p 57.
61. Ham & Hall, 'Building democracy', p 60.
62. Venter, 'Malawi', pp 180, 183.