By Robert Kumwenda and Orchestra Kamanga
In 2013 prior to the run to 2014 tripartite elections former Transport and Public Works minister Muhammad Sidik Mia surprised many Malawians when he announced his resignation both as a minister and active politics.
This happened at a time when former president Dr Joyce Banda chose former Minister Sosten Gwengwe as his running mate in the run up to 2014 tripartite elections.
Mia was among to People’s Party (PP) gurus that were earmarked to be choosen as running mate to the former president.
PP failed miserably in the elections such that it became third after MCP whose leader Dr Lazarus Chakwera lost with a margin of over 500,000 votes to the incumbent President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.
Recently, Mia took many Malawians by surprise when he announced his come back to politics during Ramadan Prayers that were held at his residence in Nyambadwe.
Though he did not mention the party which he was joining many people linked him with MCP.
The lower shire political giant was introduced to the people at a political rally which he jointly held with MCP’S leader Dr Lazarus Chakwera prior to the recent by elections that were held on 17 October in three constituencies and two wards.
The constituencies were Nsanje Larange, Lilongwe City South East and Lilongwe Msozi North. Whereas the three wards were Ndirande Makata, Mayani ward in Dedza and another ward in Lilongwe.
The coming in of Mia saw MCP winning a parliamentary seat and a ward in Ndirande which many political commentators describe as a political barometer for Malawi.
For the first time since the advent of multiparty democracy in Malawi.
During campaign prior to the 17th October by elections Mia promised MCP followers that the party will triumph in the elections.
He said this was so because people are tired with plundering of public resources, unemployment among the youth and frequents blackouts that have negatively affected the country’s economy.
His coming to MCP has helped the party to get more votes not only in the lower shire where he comes from but in Blantyre as well.
The recent results of the recent by elections shows that MCP stand a chance of winning the 2019 polls if they choose him as running mate to Dr Lazarus Chakwera considering the fact that the southern and central regions have highest number of voters as compared to the northern region.
This is also because that history has shown that most presidential candidate do not repeat same running mates in elections.
