Phalombe has long been the heartbeat of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — a political bedroom where the blue flag has flown unchallenged for years. But this week, MCP’s running mate, Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba, walked into that heartland and was received with open arms, a rare sight in territory once considered untouchable.
The people of Namachete, in Phalombe, came out in their thousands to welcome Mumba. Draped in MCP colours, they chanted the name of President Lazarus Chakwera and pledged their support for continuity of development. The message was loud: even in DPP’s stronghold, the winds are shifting.
For the Malawi Congress Party, the significance is clear. Every vote harvested from Phalombe is a dent in the opposition’s foundation, and these votes will be crucial in pushing President Chakwera over the 50% plus one threshold required for outright victory on September 16.
By contrast, DPP’s candidate Peter Mutharika has avoided campaigning in areas where MCP is strongest — the rural central region — leaving fertile ground for Chakwera’s team to dominate without challenge. Political strategists warn this could be a costly mistake: while MCP is penetrating DPP’s bedrock, the opposition is absent in MCP’s rural strongholds.
Mumba told the Phalombe crowds that MCP is not a party of empty promises but of action. He pointed to visible projects across Malawi: roads, schools, hospitals, and electricity. His rally was a demonstration that MCP is not only defending its base but also advancing into enemy territory.
Observers say that if Phalombe — once DPP’s safest zone — can welcome MCP with such warmth, then the electoral map is changing. September 16 may not just be about holding onto strongholds but about breaking into the other side’s fortress.
MCP is proving it can fight in the opponent’s bedroom, while DPP is refusing to step onto MCP’s lawn. The result? A decisive edge for Chakwera as the clock ticks toward election day.
