Opposition party nominates ex-president as candidate for next year's polls

Malawi's opposition party nominated ex-president Bakili Muluzi on Thursday as its candidate for next year's elections.
Muluzi trounced his opponent by 1,950 votes to 38 and will run as the candidate of the United Democratic Front against incumbent Bingu wa Mutharika.
Mutharika is credited with pushing through reforms to modernize the rural
economy, alleviate crushing poverty and clamp down on corruption.
Muluzi was Malawi's first democratically elected president and served from 1994 to 2004.
The two men used to be allies and Mutharika stood on a United Democratic Front platform when he was elected in 2004. But he then broke away to form his own party, saying his colleagues were blocking his anti-graft campaigns. Ever since, Malawian politics have been mired in power struggles.
Muluzi, 64, said he had planned to retire but changed his mind.
«How can I retire leaving my party out of government?» he said. «I will work hard to remove Mutharika and then retire.

But Muluzi has to grapple with the laws before making good his comeback bid. Malawi's Constitution says no one is allowed to contest the presidency again after serving two consecutive five-year terms. His legal advisers argue that that by using the word 'consecutive,' the framers of the Constitution meant that, if one takes a break after the two consecutive five-year terms, one is eligible again.
His opponents say the law is clear: no one can come back after serving two consecutive five-year terms.
Muluzi easily defeated his sole challenger, party vice president Cassim Chilumpha, who said he wanted to ensure a vibrant democracy in Malawi. But Chilumpha has his own legal problems: he is currently answering treason charges for allegedly plotting to assassinate President Mutharika. He denies the charges and the case has yet to begin in court.