The United Democratic Front is a political party in Malawi founded in 1992 by
Bakili Muluzi. It claims to be a
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
party in Malawi and is mainly strong in the southern region populated by ethnic
Yao. Bakili Muluzi was President of Malawi from 1994 to 2004.
History
The United Democratic Front is a prominent
political party in Malawi that was founded in 1992 by
Bakili Muluzi. Until 2009 the party was a member of
Liberal International
Liberal International (LI) is a worldwide organization of liberal political parties - a political international. It was founded in Oxford in 1947 and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties, aiming to strengthen liberalism aroun ...
, which it joined at the latter's Reykjavík Congress in 1994.
Rise of DPP faction
It came into power in
1994 under
Bakili Muluzi who was in power until 2004, serving two terms.
It continued in power under
Bingu wa Mutharika; however Muluzi remained the head of the party. After succeeding Muluzi, Mutharika came into conflict with much of the party, including Muluzi, and he left the party in February 2005 to form the
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). In 2009 it was the DPP which won the election. This led to mass defections from the UDF to the ruling DPP. The party however, continued to restructure.
Political performance
In 1994, the UDF candidate
Bakili Muluzi came to power in Malawi.
In the
general election held on 20 May 2004, the UDF's candidate for president,
Bingu wa Mutharika, won 35.9% of the vote and was elected. The party also won 49 out of 194 seats.
On 24 April 2008, a UDF convention, which included 2,000 delegates, chose Muluzi as the party's 2009 presidential candidate, despite questions about his eligibility due to term limits. He received 1,950 votes at the convention against 38 for Vice-President
Cassim Chilumpha.
UDF presidents
*
Atupele Muluzi, 2012–2022
*
Bakili Muluzi, 1993–2004
UDF members
*
Angela Muluzi
*
Atupele Muluzi
*
Bakili Muluzi
*
Akefe Sukali Mviza
*
Esther Jolobala
Esther Jolobala is a Malawian politician who has served in the Parliament of Malawi since 2014, representing the Machinga East constituency as a member of the United Democratic Front.
Political career
Esther Jolobala was born in the town of ...
*
Clement Chiwaya
Clement Terence Chiwaya (16 May 1971 – 30 September 2021) was a Malawian politician who served as an MP for Mangochi Central from 2004 to 2019. He was also Minister of Social Development and Persons with Disabilities from 2004 through 2005.
...
Electoral history
Presidential elections
National Assembly elections
See also
*
Political parties in Malawi
*
List of liberal parties
This article gives information on liberalism worldwide. It is an overview of parties that adhere to some form of liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world.
Introduction
The definition of liberal party is highly deba ...
References
{{Authority control
1992 establishments in Malawi
Liberal parties in Africa
Political parties in Malawi