The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has once again exposed its confusion and incompetence — this time over the Speakership of Parliament.
In what political observers are calling “a shocking display of ignorance”, the official DPP Facebook page this week proudly announced that “President Peter Mutharika has appointed Hon. Sameer Suleman MP as Speaker of Parliament.”
Only one problem: the Speaker of Parliament is not appointed by a president. The position is elected by Members of Parliament through a formal ballot. That basic fact, apparently, escaped the DPP’s social-media team.
The blunder has since gone viral, drawing widespread ridicule and reigniting debate over the DPP’s leadership quality and understanding of governance. Many commentators have described the episode as a “self-inflicted embarrassment” symptomatic of a party still trapped in confusion and arrogance.
This fiasco adds to the DPP’s growing list of missteps. Malawians still recall violent scenes involving DPP cadets — groups notorious for hooliganism and intimidation — who from day one have chosen violence over ideas, even attacking the MBC Director General. Analysts argue that such lawlessness mirrors the intellectual bankruptcy that has long haunted the party. “When a movement thrives on chaos rather than competence, these kinds of mistakes are unavoidable,” one observer remarked.
Within DPP ranks, the choice of Sameer Suleman has already been met with skepticism. Party insiders privately describe him as temperamental, confrontational, and dismissive even toward fellow members. Political analysts note that such traits are the very opposite of what the Speakership demands. “Parliament requires calm leadership and impartiality, not a man who treats debate like a boxing match,” one political commentator quipped.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has opted for strategic silence, a move many interpret as quiet confidence. The party is reportedly weighing the possibility of fielding a credible, nationally respected candidate, possibly former Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara. Should she be nominated, she stands a strong chance of making history as the first woman to be re-elected Speaker of Parliament for two consecutive terms — a reflection of both competence and continuity.
As the race for Speaker intensifies, the contrast between the two parties could not be sharper. While the DPP continues to stumble over its own misjudgments, the MCP remains composed and methodical, building strength in silence. Political analysts agree that Suleman’s bid is already dead on arrival — undone not by opponents, but by the blunders, arrogance, and chaos within his own camp.
In politics, silence can be powerful — and this time, the MCP’s restraint may prove louder than all the DPP’s noise.
