US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE245

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000245 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, MI, United Democratic Front 
SUBJECT: VP MALEWEZI'S POLITICAL MISJUDGMENTS AND LEGAL WOES 
 
REF: A. LILONGWE 166 
 
     B. LILONGWE 38 
     C. LILONGWE 1 
     D. LILONGWE 123 
     E. 03 LILONGWE 1202 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Officer Peter W. Lord, reasons 1.5 (b/d). 
 
SUMMARY 
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1. (C) Since his January 1 resignation from the ruling United 
Democratic Front vice presidency and announcement of 
indefinite leave as Malawi's Vice President, Justin Malewezi 
has joined the opposition People's Progressive Movement 
(PPM), declared himself an independent presidential 
candidate, been ousted from PPM, and been taken to court by 
government in a bid to remove him as the country's Vice 
President.  Meanwhile, his public reputation has suffered 
from perceptions of him being "power hungry" and 
"opportunistic."  Known as one of the GOM's hardest working 
and professional technocrats, Malewezi has sacrificed his 
public stature by his recent political missteps and has 
reinforced the public's opinion that he is not politically 
savvy.  END SUMMARY. 
 
POLITICAL MISJUDGMENTS 
---------------------- 
2. (SBU) After resigning from the ruling United Democratic 
Front (UDF) vice presidency and announcing his indefinite 
leave as Malawi's Vice President, Malewezi joined the 
opposition People's Progressive Movement (PPM) on January 8 
and was subsequently elected that party's vice president 
(reftel A).  As a member of the Mgwirizano Coalition of 
opposition parties, PPM, eligible to field only one candidate 
for the Coalition's leadership, saw PPM president Aleke Banda 
elected as the Coalition's running mate.  Rumors at the time 
indicated that the clergy orchestrating the Coalition's 
candidate selection procedures had always supported Malewezi 
as their preferred Coalition presidential candidate. When 
technicalities prevented consideration of Malewezi as an 
additional candidate from PPM, Malewezi reportedly attempted 
to stand as the Malawi Forum for Unity and Development 
(MAFUNDE) candidate in the Coalition elections and then 
decided not to.  Malewezi's quick consideration to turn to 
MAFUNDE, after recently leaving the ruling UDF and joining 
PPM, did not play well. 
 
3. (SBU) Two weeks after the Mgwirizano Coalition elected its 
leadership, Malewezi declared himself an independent 
presidential candidate and took PPM-founder Jimmy 
Koriea-Mpatsa (who was sidelined in the election of PPM's 
leadership) as his running mate.  President Muluzi, along 
with the media, condemned their actions as "power hungry" and 
"opportunistic."  On March 22, PPM announced that Malewezi 
and Koriea-Mpatsa's decision to stand as independents 
violated the party's constitution, and the party revoked 
their membership.  With the press reporting that many PPM 
members still support Malewezi, PPM has announced that all 
members must declare their allegiance to party. 
 
4. (C) In a March 11 meeting with the Ambassador, Malewezi 
said there were several reasons why he decided to run for the 
presidency as an independent.  Detailing his qualifications, 
Malewezi explained he had served with excellence for over 20 
years in the civil service under both former 
President-for-Life Dr. Banda's administration and Muluzi's 
multi-party democracy.  From his government service, Malewezi 
said, "There isn't a village in Malawi that doesn't know my 
name."  Noting that he was from the largest ethnic group in 
the country and had a royal background, Malewezi also said he 
was respected as a chief amongst traditional authorities and 
has good relations with the highly influential churches. 
Malewezi, however, hung his campaign hopes on what he termed 
Malawi's "parochial society" attitude that it was not right 
what the UDF was doing to him by not selecting him to be the 
party's presidential candidate and that the presidency was 
rightfully his after 10 years of service as the Vice 
President.  Malewezi said this "reservoir of goodwill" from 
the people and his "good reputation" were the driving forces 
behind his decision to contest and would lead him to victory 
at the May 18 elections. 
 
5. (U) In addition to his presidential bid, Malewezi is 
contesting for the parliamentary seat in his home district of 
Ntchisi North-East.  (NOTE: The Electoral Commission 
currently has Malewezi listed as a candidate on the PPM 
ticket.  It is uncertain how the Electoral Commission and PPM 
will resolve this matter, as the deadline to change party 
affiliations on the Commission's official roster has passed.) 
 
LEGAL WOES 
---------- 
6. (SBU) In mid-February, the GOM filed a new legal action 
against Malewezi, claiming that by "implication of his own 
conduct" Malewezi resigned from the Vice Presidency and that 
government should have the right to appoint a new First Vice 
President.  After the Court's dismissal of the GOM's first 
application of prosecution in January and denial of an 
expedited trial on the second application in March, 
government hired a private lawyer to strengthen the Attorney 
General's legal team.  The courts have agreed that without an 
expedited hearing, the matter is unlikely to be resolved 
before the May 18 elections, making the immediate case a mute 
point.  However, the High Court Judge assigned to the case 
said a verdict will answer an important constitutional 
question about vice presidential succession that should be 
answered regardless of timing.  A trial date has not yet been 
set. 
 
7. (C) Government has seized and/or frozen all resources 
normally allocated to the Vice President.  Malewezi told the 
Ambassador on March 11 that the GOM had seized the vice 
presidential vehicles (four in total), claiming that Malewezi 
was illegally using the government vehicles for partisan 
activities.  Malewezi also said as Vice President his monthly 
salary and allowances normally amounted to roughly USD 3,700, 
but he was now receiving less than USD 400 per month.  At 
present, Malewezi also resides in his private home in Likuni, 
rather than in a government-owned house. 
COMMENT 
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8. (C) If Malawian technocrats and the donor community could 
vote, Malewezi would win the presidency hands down.  However, 
with his recent political missteps and bad timing, it is 
unlikely he will fare well in the presidential elections. 
BROWNING