In a high-stakes political drama unfolding in Malawi, Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo, the newly-minted Vice President of the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) party, has found himself in a precarious position after his attempts to reconcile with former President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) were publicly rejected.
According to a statement released by the DPP, the party is “deeply concerned and appalled” by the “false and baseless” rumors of a meeting and apology between Mtambo and APM. The DPP’s Presidential Spokesperson, Shadric Namalomba, categorically denied that any such encounter took place, stating, “there was no meeting between the two, and therefore, no apology was given.”
The rejection by the DPP leadership highlights the deep-seated enmity that exists between the party and Mtambo, who was once a formidable critic of the former administration as the leader of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC). Mtambo’s vocal opposition to the DPP government during his time at HRDC has seemingly made him a persona non grata within the party’s inner circles.
Informed sources suggest that Mtambo’s desperate attempts to mend ties with APM and the DPP were driven by pressure from the AFORD President, Enock Chihana, who is keen on forging a coalition between AFORD and the DPP ahead of the 2025 elections. However, Mutharika’s handlers reportedly kept Mtambo at arm’s length, leaving the AFORD Vice President with a “sad face” as he posed for a photograph in a cap branded with APM’s initials, a futile effort to demonstrate his reconciliatory gesture.
The failed overtures have now placed Mtambo in a precarious position within AFORD, as the party’s president, Chihana, is reportedly willing to sacrifice Mtambo’s position to accommodate the DPP’s demands and secure a potential coalition. This move could further isolate Mtambo, potentially leading to his ouster from AFORD if the party decides to prioritize its alliance with the DPP over maintaining Mtambo’s presence in the party’s leadership.
Shire Times senior political analyst, Joseph Masina, has described the circumstances surrounding Mtambo’s predicament as a “cautionary tale” for politicians who find themselves caught in the crosshairs of bitter political feuds.
