Outgoing Malawian president Bakili Muluzi leaves office after 10 years in power with a mixed record, say analysts to IRIN.
Taking over in 1994 after three decades of dictatorial rule by Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Muluzi would be remembered for “keeping the nation together,” said political analyst Rafiq Hajat. – He would be remembered for ushering in democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of association.
But in his second term, “things went wrong..There was rampant corruption in government, a bad economic performance”, and Muluzi became an autocratic leader, said Hajat.
Muluzi, 61, led the United Democratic Front (UDF) from its foundation in 1991 as an underground group of politicians, mainly from the former ruling Malawi Congress Party, who had fallen out of favour with Banda.
– He was one of those who fought for multi-party democracy during the one-party era, and presided over the consolidation of democracy in Malawi and that was not an easy task, said UDF publicity secretary Ken Lipenga.
On the economic front, a decade of UDF rule witnessed the deepening of poverty for ordinary Malawians. Under Muluzi, Malawians “suffered from hunger, government failed to be accountable to the voters and corruption was deeply entrenched in public office”, remarked political scientist Nixon Khembo.
One of his main policy achievements – the introduction free primary education – was undermined by poor implementation, with underqualified teachers and a lack of resources. -When we introduced it, we knew the infrastructure was not quite there, but we preferred to face that head-on and move in the right direction, explained Lipenga.
Muluzi, with a deep baritone voice, was impressive on the campaign trail: quick to joke with his audience, and always ready to dole out cash, he had a populist touch.
– Most of the people in the villages are lacking basic necessities; that is why they go begging to the president whenever he calls rallies, which reduces their dignity. The people are not empowered as we thought they would be; not empowered to be productive, said Boniface Tamani, chairman of the Public Affairs Committee, an interfaith democracy monitoring group.
After failing to secure an amendment to the constitution to enable him to run for a third term in office, Muluzi chose his successor – a politically obscure economist Bingu wa Mutharika – and settled for chairmanship of the UDF, while concentrating on his business empire.
– Democracy must bring economic prosperity to the poor and vulnerable in our society, he said at a recent rally, “Dr Mutharika is best poised, and determined to offer Malawians the best deal.”
– Muluzi is still chairman of the party and, if Mutharika wins, I can see that Muluzi will have influence, especially during the first six months of UDF rule, said Hajat.
But should the UDF lose, that “means the end of the party, because Muluzi entirely supports it financially”, said Khembo.
Law lecturer Edge Kanyongolo suggested that after five years Muluzi could try to stage a comeback. – The issue of Muluzi coming back would be very interesting. This is an arguable case – the constitution is silent on it; it only says one can only serve two consecutive five-year terms.
Kilde: FN-bureauet IRINnews
