By Burnett Munthali

If you cling to someone or something, you hold onto them tightly. In the recent political battle within the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Kondwani Nankhumwa was fired from the party following disciplinary charges of insubordination. However, as DPP proposed Dr George Chaponda to take over as leader of opposition, Nankhumwa is refusing to let go of the position by sticking to his injunction which was given many months ago.

The argument

Most arguments suggest that politicians cling to power because they are old, they are male – and they don’t plan to leave anytime soon. Africa is quite familiar with leaders who regularly switch up the rules to stay in office. But when they overstay their term, how can Africans get their leaders to finally step down?

Unfortunately, we have a man in politics in Malawi today, who is clinging to power even after he was fired from his own party, yet he is not an old man. Does Nankhumwa reason to keep fighting this way? Something tells me this man is uncivilized and never went to school enough.

He is not old, and he doesn’t plan to admit that he is not needed in the DPP anymore anytime soon. We have a politician who is quite surprising in the manner he handles himself in his politics. But if he continues to be leader of opposition who does he think he will be representing in the August House? How will Africans get their leaders to accept the rule of law within their parties?

 The Leader of the Opposition is the parliamentary chairperson of the largest political party in their respective legislative chamber that is not in government. Kondwani Nankhumwa could not understand his job description instead he spent most of his time in court fighting meaningless legal battles that yielded nothing but his expulsion.

The Opposition’s main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. This also helps to fix the mistakes of the Ruling Party. The Opposition is equally responsible in upholding the best interests of the people of the country. The Opposition’s main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. This also helps to fix the mistakes of the Ruling Party. The former leader of Opposition upheld his own interests leaving the party and people of this country behind.

In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed, primarily ideologically, to the government or the administration, party or group in political control of a city, region, state, country or other political body.

The current Official Opposition is the caucus of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), assuming the role following the 2020 fresh presidential election. The Opposition must be led by someone chosen by the opposition from opposition. As for Nankhumwa, he cannot continue leading a party in Parliament whose membership has been scraped off.

The composition of Parliament also determines who will form the official opposition. The party (or coalition of parties) which has the most non-government Members in the House of Representatives becomes the opposition party and its leader becomes the Leader of the Opposition.

The Leader of the Opposition is a member of parliament who is in charge of  the opposition – the largest party, or coalition of parties, that is not in government. The Leader of the Opposition is chosen by members of their party. By convention – tradition – the Leader of the Opposition is a member of Parliament. I will not hesitate to say that the former leader of opposition was not in charge of the opposition, instead he wined and dined with the government.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Leader of the Opposition is responsible for managing the way the opposition, develops policies, scrutinises the government and acts in Parliament. Their duties include:

Acting as the main opposition spokesperson, selecting members of their party or coalition to be shadow ministers, running party meetings and shadow Cabinet meetings where the opposition discusses policies and examines bills – ideas for new laws, leading the opposition’s election campaigns, presenting the opposition as an alternative government. Suffice to say that I haven’t seen a leader of opposition in Parliament from 2020 up to 2024 and Kondwani Nankhumwa has been a let down to millions of people. It’s time the DPP elected a leader of opposition !