OPINION|GUEST ESSAY|Bertrand Banda

No sooner had I written about Ken Msonda’s opportunism than another resignation made headlines. This time it was Chris Chaima Banda, adviser to President Lazarus Chakwera. Since the issue is related, I return to it in this letter. The Forum’s editor describes this type of writing as a “letter from the grassroots.” I may not entirely agree, but since this is a public square, perhaps
the description fits.

Chaima Banda resigned just two days after the Malawi Electoral Commission declared Peter Mutharika winner of the September 16, 2025 presidential election, defeating Chakwera. In his resignation letter to MCP Secretary General Chimwendo Banda, he cited serious reasons:

He accused a “cartel of thieves” of stealing public resources.

He alleged that some of the worst offenders “invaded State House and convinced President Chakwera to abandon the party and its members, leaving those who had fought hardest for MCP in poverty.”

He claimed he had been framed in a corruption case as punishment for challenging those who looted the National Oil Company and MERA.

He further lamented that no one from the party supported him during his court appearances. Yet, despite making such serious allegations, Chaima Banda did not name the individuals involved or report them to authorities. Instead, he admitted he could not resign “while these people were in power and persecuting me.” He even described feeling “tears of joy” after the party lost the election.

While he is entitled to his views, one cannot help but wonder: if MCP had won, would he still have stepped down? His timing raises questions. By contrast, when former Vice President Michael Usi alleged high-level corruption, he did so openly while still in office. That was courage.

To me, this reflects a Machiavellian strain in our politics: leaders who keep quiet when they stand to gain but quickly distance themselves when the tide turns. They expose wrongdoing only when it is safe, not when it matters most.

In my view, Chaima Banda cloaked himself in victimhood, but he was no victim. He had opportunities to speak earlier, when it would have carried greater weight. Instead, his resignation came after defeat, when the political cost was lower. His tears, therefore, seemed less about the party’s loss and more about his personal relief that it was over.

Our politics suffers when leaders choose silence during critical moments and only speak out once events have passed. Political opportunism — Machiavellian in its calculation — has become too common.

If we are serious about strengthening democracy, we must expect better from those in leadership. Either confront corruption when it matters or accept the consequences of silence. What Malawi does not need is the endless cycle of resignation letters that appear only after the dust has settled.

If we are serious about strengthening democracy, we must expect better from those inleadership. Either confront corruption when it matters, or accept the consequences of silence.What Malawi doesn’t need is the endless cycle of resignation letters that appear only after thedust has settled.