Shadric Namalomba, the spokesperson for former president Peter Mutharika and the opposition DPP, is once again under fire — this time for making misleading and embarrassing comments about the Constitution of Malawi.
Recently, the DPP Secretary General Peter Mukhito made it clear that if the party forms an alliance with any other party before the 2025 elections, both the president and running mate must come from the DPP. That is the official position of the party.
Jumping on that position, Namalomba publicly agreed — but he made things worse by wrongly arguing that any other party that joins the alliance should only be given the position of Second Vice President, which he claimed is what the Constitution says.
But many people, including legal experts and political commentators, say that is completely false. The Constitution of Malawi does not say that. In fact, Namalomba’s post, which has now been deleted, has been described by analysts as shocking, ignorant, and a disgrace, especially coming from a man who is not just the Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, but also a Member of Parliament.
Political analyst Lyson Sibande was quick to respond, saying:
“I have always warned against Namalomba. He is too incompetent for his office. The post he made was very shameful and exposed his deep ignorance of the Constitution.”
Sibande also pointed out that the DPP is afraid to form a proper alliance because they are worried about the health of their presidential candidate, Peter Mutharika. He said if Mutharika wins but fails to finish the term, the party does not want another party’s running mate to take over. That’s why they want both top positions to remain in the hands of the DPP.
“This is not about teamwork or Malawi. It’s about fear and selfishness,” Sibande said.
Critics say Namalomba’s comment has only embarrassed the DPP further, and shows that the party is being driven by individuals who do not understand the Constitution, and who are more focused on protecting power than on building meaningful alliances that put the country first.
Until the DPP lets go of such leaders and shows real understanding of the law, many believe they are not ready to govern Malawi again.
As Sibande warned:
“This is bad politics. They are gambling with a weak candidate and listening to the wrong people.”
