Inside the DPP-UDF Alliance

In politics, anything can happen.

And, indeed, this has happened: while everyone thought the UDF had “repented” for its “sins” for going to bed with DPP from 2014 to 2019, the party threw a bombshell on Tuesday, 25 February 2020.

The party formed an electoral alliance with the DPP. The event to announce the marriage during a press breifing where both DPP President Peter Mutharika and his counterpart, Atulepe Muluzi were in attendance.

Let’s take a glimpse into the alliance document, signed by Secretary General for DPP Grezelder Jeffrey and her counterpart, Kandi Pandambo, Secretary General for UDF:

We the Democratic Progressive Party and the United Democratic front would like to inform all Malawians that we have formed an alliance in order to work together as political parties. From now on, DPP and UDF are working together.

We are proud to have formed this alliance. We further want to inform all our supporters that we are also working on the possibility of forming a coalitio

The alliance comes at a time when some politicians are threatening the peace and stability which this country has enjoyed for many years. Both the DPP and the UDF share a common belief that peace, stability and unity are a prerequisite for Malawi’s development. We do not believe in violence.

We both believe political violence is a threat to democracy and a symptom of autocracy which Malawians painfully fought and sacrificed their lives from 1964 to 1994. Political violence is a symbol of intolerance which we reject in our quest for dialogue and unity.

Our political union symbolizes that both of us believe in reaching out to one another and dialoguing. We cannot claim to be working in the interest of the people of Malawi if we cannot dialogue, unite and agree on matters of national interests. Our political union is born out of a spirit of unity and our caring to unite on matters that affect Malawians. Malawi cannot develop if we do not exercise this spirit of unity.

Both the DPP and the UDF believe in the old wisdom which says “Mutu umodzi susenza denga”.

The DPP and the UDF have a history of unity and working together. We come from the same background and we are proud to say that the DPP came from the UDF.

This alliance is the will of our people and this is what our members, supporters and most Malawians have always wanted. We are now committed to the will of the people.

The DPP and the UDF share common values which many Malawians aspire to. This Alliance is founded on our shared values. We are both peace-loving parties in search of a developed, democratic, progressive, united Malawi.

We share a common progressive vision that pays attention to aspirations of the youth, women, and various vulnerable groups. Our goals include creating youth that are responsible, knowledgeable, skilled and self-dependent.

We “say no” to reducing the Youth of Malawi into agents of violence. We “say no” to teaching our Youth lawlessness and chaos. Instead of manipulating the Youth into violence, lawlessness and national destruction; we pledge to empower the Youth and women with skills, financial capital and a sense of responsibility for them to become a dependable generation that creates its own jobs, businesses and new wealth.

Therefore, the DPP and the UDF reaffirm and resolve to:

1. Restore a sense of national pride so that we all have a Malawi that we are proud of. 2. Create new wealth for all as a means to reducing poverty. 3. Create jobs for the Youth and women, especially by empowering Malawians to create new jobs and businesses.

These are some of the aspirations and goals that we share as political parties.

Together, we pursue a common vision and political system that is characterized by the spirit of patriotism, integrity and hardwork.

By virtue of this Alliance, the DPP and the UDF are ready to work together in order to move Malawi forward from poverty to prosperity.