By The Forum

Seventeen presidential hopefuls remain in the race, that is down from 20, as confirmed by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), each fanning out across the country ahead of the September 16 polls.

Two names are conspicuously missing: former vice president Dr. Cassim Chilumpha of the Assembly for Democracy and Dr. Daniel Dube of the Nationalist Patriotic Front.

Chilumpha, once a law lecturer and now a political footnote, had declared himself “the only competent guy to lead this country,” before promptly withdrawing without bothering to share his grand vision. We’re not moving. The Forum is staying put. He can find us anytime if he ever feels like explaining.

Dube, a U.S. based physician, arrived in April with his political diagnosis: hunger, corruption, unemployment, high cost of living and poor governance among others. The cure? Unknown. Why? Because when the time came to submit his nomination papers, the paperwork was incomplete and his running mate was a no-show. MEC gave him a week to patch things up. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess if he did try.

One observer called Dube “brilliant” but perhaps “not ready for politics.” Chilumpha? “I expected more,” the observer said, politely summing up the underwhelming exits of the two.

Meanwhile, the surviving candidates are busy making campaign promises and some of the promises are as weightless as the ones voters have heard before.

The ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) recently launched its manifesto with a pledge to give every newborn MK500,000. No surprise that accusations of say-anything-to-win politics were made, especially given MCP’s track record of unfulfilled pledges (remember that Orton Chirwa International Airport which the party has just acknowledged?).

Facing ridicule, MCP has slashed the newborn payout by 90%, down to MK50,000, proving that inflation isn’t the only thing eating away at the value of money Malawians have. Still, President Lazarus Chakwera will be happy to spend (who refuses free things, especially money, right?) and is now dangling MK1 million each for one million Malawians in businesses. But, mark this, the president will not give details. Is that okay?

With just over a month to go, the media must press candidates for details on these overly ambitious pledges. Otherwise, silence becomes complicity, and the lies, like the unrealistic promises, will go unchallenged. The fourth estate, the media that is, will have been caught sleeping on the job. Our people, our society, deserve better.