Gwanda Chakuamba
Encyclopedia
Gwandaguluwe "Gwanda" Chakuamba Phiri (born 4th Apri 1934) is a prominent Malawi
an politician who is currently the leader of the New Republican Party (NRP). He is from the lower Shire Valley area in southern Malawi.
From the country's independence in 1964 until 1980, Chakuamba was a key figure within the Malawi Congress Party
(MCP), which was the sole legal political party. During the rule of President Hastings Kamuzu Banda, he held many cabinet
positions and was Commander of the MCP youth group Malawi Young Pioneers
. Known for his temperamental nature, Chakuamba was a fearless opponent of John Tembo. One account has it Tembo and Chakuamba squared up for a fist fight at Nasawa MYP Training Base where Dr. Banda was within minutes of arriving to inaugurate the 1976 Youth Week Rally. In February 1980, Chakuamba was 'charged', on the behest of Tembo and Kadzamira, with sedition
and given a 22-year prison sentence.
Chakuamba was released from jail in July 1993, a month after voters endorsed a return to multiparty politics in a referendum. On his release, he joined the opposition United Democratic Front
(UDF) but soon returned to the MCP and became secretary-general
of the party. In February 1994, the MCP announced that Banda was to be the party's presidential candidate in the forthcoming general election; Chakuamba was the vice-presidential candidate.
In Malawi's first multiparty elections, held on 17 May 1994, Bakili Muluzi
and his UDF party defeated Banda and the MCP. Banda retired from politics in August 1994 and Chakuamba succeeded to the party leadership.
In February 1999, an electoral alliance between the MCP and the Alliance for Democracy
(AFORD) was announced in preparation for upcoming elections that would take place in May. Gwanda Chakuamba was chosen as the coalition's presidential candidate while AFORD leader Chakufwa Chihana
was selected as the vice-presidential candidate. The move created serious divisions within the MCP because Chakuamba didn't select his political rival and fellow party member John Tembo
to be his running mate. Thousands of Tembo's supporters were reported to have mounted protests to demand Chakuamba's resignation.
In the 15 June 1999 elections, Muluzi and his UDF were again victorious, and Chakuamba took second place with about 45% of the vote. Despite declarations from international observers that the elections were largely free and fair, the MCP-AFORD coalition filed two petitions with the high court, challenging Muluzi's victory and the results in 16 districts claiming irregularities. The court later dismissed the claims.
In October 2002, Chakuamba was briefly arrested (before being freed on bail), accused of forging a letter purported to be from Muluzi that offered bribes to members of parliament if they would support his attempt to change the constitution to run for a third term as president.
In the months prior to the 2004 elections
, Chakuamba left the MCP and created the Republican Party
(RP). The RP joined forces with six other parties to form the Mgwirizano Coalition
. Chakuamba was selected as the coalition's presidential candidate. According to official results, he placed third in 20 May 2004 election, behind Bingu wa Mutharika
of the UDF and Tembo of the MCP, winning 25.7% of the vote.
Soon after the vote, before any official results were announced, Chakuamba claimed to have won the election and said that exit polls showing Mutharika in the lead were false. Mutharika was sworn in as president on May 24, although Chakuamba denounced his victory as fraudulent. In early June, however, Chakuamba dropped his threat to challenge the result and agreed to support Mutharika's government; he did not receive a cabinet position, but three other members of the RP did. In February 2005, Chakuamba was made Minister of Agriculture. He left the Republican Party and joined the Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP), which was created by Mutharika following his decision to leave the UDF in February, and was elected interim first vice-president of the party. In September 2005, Chakuamba was removed from his post as Minister of Agriculture. Only days after his sacking, he was detained for questioning over a speech in which he predicted that President Mutharika would be out of office by Christmas.
Chakuamba subsequently left the DPP and formed the New Republican Party (NRP). Following the death of Mutharika's wife Ethel
in 2007, Chakuamba criticized Mutharika for failing to inform the people of her illness. He initially backed Muluzi, who attempted to run again as the UDF candidate, for the 2009 presidential election
. On August 26, 2007, while addressing a UDF rally along with Muluzi, Chakuamba called for Tembo, the MCP leader, to stand as Muluzi's running-mate in the next election, emphasizing the importance of opposition unity to defeat Mutharika. Tembo rejected Chakuamba's proposal two days later.
Chakuamba switched sides again at the time of the May 2009 presidential election, supporting President Mutharika against Tembo, who was the joint candidate of the MCP and UDF. As an NRP candidate, Chakuamba also ran for a parliamentary seat from Nsanje North Constituency, but was defeated by DPP candidate Frank Ellias. The NRP won no seats in the election, and shortly after its defeat, Chakuamba again announced that he was retiring from politics, saying that he would instead focus on fish farming. As a result of the NRP's failure to win parliamentary representation, Chakuamba said that it had "no business to exist other than supporting government agenda on national development". Although he supported Mutharika, the DPP leadership reportedly chose to ignore Chakuamba, regarding his comments after the death of Mutharika's wife as an unacceptable insult, especially because he refused to apologize for them.
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
an politician who is currently the leader of the New Republican Party (NRP). He is from the lower Shire Valley area in southern Malawi.
From the country's independence in 1964 until 1980, Chakuamba was a key figure within the Malawi Congress Party
Malawi Congress Party
The Malawi Congress Party is a political party in Malawi.It was the successor to the Nyasaland African Congress , which was banned in 1959.The MCP was founded by Hastings Banda and other NAC leaders in 1960....
(MCP), which was the sole legal political party. During the rule of President Hastings Kamuzu Banda, he held many cabinet
Cabinet of Malawi
The Cabinet of Malawi is the executive branch of the government, made up of the President, Vice-President and Ministers and Deputy Ministers responsible for the different departments.The current ruling party is the Democratic Progressive Party...
positions and was Commander of the MCP youth group Malawi Young Pioneers
Malawi Young Pioneers
The Malawi Young Pioneers was the paramilitary wing of the Malawi Congress Party. Their Commander-in-Chief was President Hastings Kamuzu Banda. The Young Pioneers were a major instrument for the operationalisation of Dr Banda's one party state dictatorship and domestic terrorism...
. Known for his temperamental nature, Chakuamba was a fearless opponent of John Tembo. One account has it Tembo and Chakuamba squared up for a fist fight at Nasawa MYP Training Base where Dr. Banda was within minutes of arriving to inaugurate the 1976 Youth Week Rally. In February 1980, Chakuamba was 'charged', on the behest of Tembo and Kadzamira, with sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
and given a 22-year prison sentence.
Chakuamba was released from jail in July 1993, a month after voters endorsed a return to multiparty politics in a referendum. On his release, he joined the opposition United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (Malawi)
The United Democratic Front claims to be a liberal party in Malawi and is mainly strong in the southern region populated by ethnic Yao. Until 2009 the party was a member of Liberal International, which it joined at the latter's Reykjavík Congress in 1994...
(UDF) but soon returned to the MCP and became secretary-general
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
of the party. In February 1994, the MCP announced that Banda was to be the party's presidential candidate in the forthcoming general election; Chakuamba was the vice-presidential candidate.
In Malawi's first multiparty elections, held on 17 May 1994, Bakili Muluzi
Bakili Muluzi
Elson Bakili Muluzi is a Malawian politician. He was the President of Malawi from 1994 to 2004 and was Chairman of the United Democratic Front until 2009.-Presidency:...
and his UDF party defeated Banda and the MCP. Banda retired from politics in August 1994 and Chakuamba succeeded to the party leadership.
In February 1999, an electoral alliance between the MCP and the Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Democracy (Malawi)
The Alliance for Democracy is a political party in Malawi, mainly strong in the northern region populated by ethnic Tumbuka.At the last general elections, 20 May 2004, the party won 6 out of 194 seats.**...
(AFORD) was announced in preparation for upcoming elections that would take place in May. Gwanda Chakuamba was chosen as the coalition's presidential candidate while AFORD leader Chakufwa Chihana
Chakufwa Chihana
Chakufwa Chihana was a Malawia human rights activist, pro-democracy advocate, trade unionist and later, politician. He served as the Second Vice President in Malawi. He is credited as the 'father of Malawian democracy' in Malawi...
was selected as the vice-presidential candidate. The move created serious divisions within the MCP because Chakuamba didn't select his political rival and fellow party member John Tembo
John Tembo
John Zenus Ungapake Tembo is a Malawian politician and the President of the Malawi Congress Party , the strongest opposition party in Malawi. Tembo comes from the Dedza District in central Malawi, and he is a teacher by profession...
to be his running mate. Thousands of Tembo's supporters were reported to have mounted protests to demand Chakuamba's resignation.
In the 15 June 1999 elections, Muluzi and his UDF were again victorious, and Chakuamba took second place with about 45% of the vote. Despite declarations from international observers that the elections were largely free and fair, the MCP-AFORD coalition filed two petitions with the high court, challenging Muluzi's victory and the results in 16 districts claiming irregularities. The court later dismissed the claims.
In October 2002, Chakuamba was briefly arrested (before being freed on bail), accused of forging a letter purported to be from Muluzi that offered bribes to members of parliament if they would support his attempt to change the constitution to run for a third term as president.
In the months prior to the 2004 elections
Malawi general election, 2004
General elections was held in Malawi on 20 May 2004 to elect a President and the National Assembly. The election had originally been scheduled for 18 May but was postponed for two days in response to opposition complaints of irregularities in the voter roll. By 22 May no results had been announced,...
, Chakuamba left the MCP and created the Republican Party
Republican Party (Malawi)
The Republican Party is a political party in Malawi.At the general elections of 20 May 2004 its candidate for president won 25.7% of the vote, and the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition, which won 27 out of 194 seats....
(RP). The RP joined forces with six other parties to form the Mgwirizano Coalition
Mgwirizano Coalition
The Mgwirizana Coalition is an electoral alliance in Malawi.At the last general elections, 20 May 2004, the coalition won 27 out of 194 seats.Member parties of the coalition are:*Malawi Democratic Party*Malawi Forum for Unity and Development...
. Chakuamba was selected as the coalition's presidential candidate. According to official results, he placed third in 20 May 2004 election, behind Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika is a Malawi economist who is President of Malawi. He took office on 24 May 2004 after winning a disputed presidential election...
of the UDF and Tembo of the MCP, winning 25.7% of the vote.
Soon after the vote, before any official results were announced, Chakuamba claimed to have won the election and said that exit polls showing Mutharika in the lead were false. Mutharika was sworn in as president on May 24, although Chakuamba denounced his victory as fraudulent. In early June, however, Chakuamba dropped his threat to challenge the result and agreed to support Mutharika's government; he did not receive a cabinet position, but three other members of the RP did. In February 2005, Chakuamba was made Minister of Agriculture. He left the Republican Party and joined the Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party (Malawi)
The Democratic Progressive Party is the ruling political party in Malawi. The party was formed in February 2005 by Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika after a dispute with the United Democratic Front....
(DPP), which was created by Mutharika following his decision to leave the UDF in February, and was elected interim first vice-president of the party. In September 2005, Chakuamba was removed from his post as Minister of Agriculture. Only days after his sacking, he was detained for questioning over a speech in which he predicted that President Mutharika would be out of office by Christmas.
Chakuamba subsequently left the DPP and formed the New Republican Party (NRP). Following the death of Mutharika's wife Ethel
Ethel Mutharika
Ethel Mutharika was the First Lady of Malawi and wife of the President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika.Madam Mutharika was originally from Zimbabwe. She had been married to President Bingu wa Mutharika for 37 years at the time of her death. The couple had four children together...
in 2007, Chakuamba criticized Mutharika for failing to inform the people of her illness. He initially backed Muluzi, who attempted to run again as the UDF candidate, for the 2009 presidential election
Malawian general election, 2009
A general election was held in Malawi on 19 May 2009. President Bingu wa Mutharika ran for re-election; his main opponent was John Tembo, the President of the Malawi Congress Party . Five other candidates also ran. The election was won by Mutharika, who was re-elected to the Presidency with around...
. On August 26, 2007, while addressing a UDF rally along with Muluzi, Chakuamba called for Tembo, the MCP leader, to stand as Muluzi's running-mate in the next election, emphasizing the importance of opposition unity to defeat Mutharika. Tembo rejected Chakuamba's proposal two days later.
Chakuamba switched sides again at the time of the May 2009 presidential election, supporting President Mutharika against Tembo, who was the joint candidate of the MCP and UDF. As an NRP candidate, Chakuamba also ran for a parliamentary seat from Nsanje North Constituency, but was defeated by DPP candidate Frank Ellias. The NRP won no seats in the election, and shortly after its defeat, Chakuamba again announced that he was retiring from politics, saying that he would instead focus on fish farming. As a result of the NRP's failure to win parliamentary representation, Chakuamba said that it had "no business to exist other than supporting government agenda on national development". Although he supported Mutharika, the DPP leadership reportedly chose to ignore Chakuamba, regarding his comments after the death of Mutharika's wife as an unacceptable insult, especially because he refused to apologize for them.