What does it mean for Kondwani Nankhumwa to appear on a ballot paper in 2025?

Malawians have heard it for themselves  that Kondwani Nankhumwa (KN) has vowed to appear on the ballot paper in the coming 2025 tripartite elections.

Frankly speaking, this is very exciting news because KN has proved to all Malawians that he is determined to achieve what he aspires. This development comes after the main opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) fired him from the party for what can be summarily dubbed a cold coup d’état. Indeed when  the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

There are  possibly four options that will enable KN to appear on the ballot paper vis a vis presidential candidate, running mate, member of parliament and councilor.

By way of elimination, KN is so ambitious that he would feel like a demotion to contest for local government elections. Being a councilor is an inferior position for him.

Malawians can recall that KN declined to accept the position of Chief whip of parliament because he felt that  it was a demotion from being the Leader of opposition.

This leaves us with three practical options which KN can pursue so that his name can appear on a ballot paper, presidential candidate, running mate and member of parliament. Let us dissect these three possibilities.

In terms of combinatorics, KN can  stand  as   a presidential candidate or a running mate while vying for the position of the law maker in the National Assembly.

Much as it does not need one to be affiliated to a political party for one to be a presidential candidate or a running mate, KN is most likely forming  a new party and/ or joining an electoral alliance.

Whatever the case,  such a move is more advantageous to the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) than it is to the main opposition party.

The recent defections such as Uladi Mussa and Nicholas Dausi  to MCP must  be a wake-up call to DPP to organise itself as soon as possible.

It is a blue lie that such notable politicians who have exited DPP  will not go away with substantial followers. May the best strategist win the presidential election in 2025.