The Democratic Transition in Malawi: from single-party rule to a multi-party state

Type:

Book Chapter

Author:

Diana Cammack

Published:

2019

Publisher:

Routledge

Malawi was applauded by the international community for its comparatively peaceful and orderly transition from a single-party state to a multi-party democracy through the agency of elections. Western donors and South Africans who sought to denigrate the socialist development model followed by Malawi’s neighbours, propagated Dr Banda’s international reputation for successfully developing Malawi’s capitalist economy. Strikes, unprecedented in independent Malawi, raised the level of tension in early May, starting first at the Chancellor College in Zomba and then moving to factories near Blantyre. In mid-October when Orton Chirwa died in prison, the same week Banda stunned the nation by announcing that a referendum would be held to decide whether to keep the single-party system of government. Radio is the primary medium for disseminating information in Malawi, and Malawi Broadcasting Company’s political programming was central to the campaign effort. The quest for unity in a multi-party state might also have acted to undermine the transition to democracy.

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