Malawi: The Slippery Slide Towards Autocracy?

The report examines President Bakili Muluzi's efforts to bypass Malawi's two-term presidential limit through constitutional amendments, noting a pattern of attacks on the judiciary and civil society. Despite a parliamentary vote in July 2002 that fell three votes short of the required two-thirds majority for an 'open term' presidency, the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) continues to seek a third term for Muluzi. The author argues that Malawi's political landscape is characterized by personality-driven leadership and unstable coalitions, warning that the lack of regional condemnation from the African Union may facilitate a slide back toward autocracy similar to the era of Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

• President Bakili Muluzi of the United Democratic Front (UDF) attempted to amend the constitution to allow for a third term in office, a move that critics argue mirrors the autocratic strategies of his predecessor, Kamuzu Banda.
• To facilitate constitutional changes, the UDF passed an amendment in November 2001 that lowered the required parliamentary majority for constitutional amendments from two-thirds to "50 and one percent".
• The executive branch targeted the judiciary to remove opposition to the third-term bid, specifically through the impeachment of three senior high court judges, including Judge Dunstain Mwaungulu, to replace them with more supportive judges.
• On 4 July 2002, a parliamentary vote on an 'open term' presidency failed to reach the necessary two-thirds majority of 128 votes, receiving 125 votes in favor and 59 against.
• Following the parliamentary defeat, the UDF decided on 20 July to resubmit the proposal as a government bill specifically requesting that Muluzi personally be allowed a third term, without extending this right to future presidents.
• Malawian political parties are characterized by internal divisions and unstable coalitions based on leadership personalities rather than policy or ideology, with voting patterns remaining starkly regional: UDF in the South, MCP in the Center, and Aford in the North.
• The author contends that the failure of the African Union and regional leaders, including South African President Thabo Mbeki, to condemn these undemocratic practices sets a precedent of tolerance for the subversion of democracy in Africa.
• Civil society and religious organizations, including the Catholic Church and the Blantyre synod of the Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP), actively opposed the third-term bid through pamphlets and the use of purple ribbons.

APA

Maroleng, C. (2003). Malawi: The Slippery Slide Towards Autocracy? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/12-nov-2002-malawi-the-slippery-slide-towards-autocracy

Chicago

Maroleng, Chris. Malawi: The Slippery Slide Towards Autocracy? Institute for Security Studies, 2003. https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/12-nov-2002-malawi-the-slippery-slide-towards-autocracy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Maroleng |first1=Chris |title=Malawi: The Slippery Slide Towards Autocracy? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=12 November 2003 |url=https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/12-nov-2002-malawi-the-slippery-slide-towards-autocracy |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{maroleng2003malawi, author = {Maroleng, Chris}, title = {{Malawi: The Slippery Slide Towards Autocracy?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2003}, month = nov, url = {https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/12-nov-2002-malawi-the-slippery-slide-towards-autocracy}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }