“Multi-party is war”. reflections on local mediation in Malawi’s electoral conflicts

Abstract

In 1993 Malawian voters, in a referendum, overwhelmingly favoured a multi-party system. It brought an end to the one-party rule of the MCP (Malawi Congress Party) and the ‘life presidency’ of President Kamuzu Banda, who was in power since independence from British rule in 1964. The implementation of multi-party democracy was, however, not easy and the road since 1993 has been bumpy and, at times, dangerous (EISA 2009). At the national level several constitutional crises occurred, such as the attempt by President Bakili Muluzi of the UDF (United Democratic Front) in 2002 to change the constitution and allow him a third term in office; the defection of President Bingu was Mutharika in 2005 from the UDF – the party on whose ticket he was elected – to establish a new party, the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party); the first term of Mutharika (2004-2009) who had to rule with minority support in parliament and under threat of impeachment; and the sudden death of Mutharika in 2012 that led to the transfer of power to the incumbent vice president, Joyce Banda. Banda was elected as vice-president with Mutharika, but she left the DPP in 2011 because of disagreement with the president, establishing her own party, the PP (People’s Party). In the space of two decades power has been transferred from the MCP to the UDF, from the UDF to the DPP, and from the DPP to the PP. In spite of these crises Malawi has avoided armed conflict or civil war. However, the events were not violence-free and it was at the local level where the tensions and violence were experienced most acutely.