With only five months remaining to the highly anticipated September 16 General Elections, political realignments are gaining momentum, with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and UTM Party confirming that they are engaged in advanced discussions with other political parties on the possibility of forming electoral alliances.

DPP secretary general Peter Mukhito told The Daily Times that the party was in the final stages of negotiations with “undisclosed” political outfits.

He said details of the alliance partners would be made public “soon”.

“We are talking to several parties. The  discussions are advanced and progressing well. Malawians will know the identities of these parties shortly,” said Mukhito in a brief interview.

His sentiments come amid growing political activity and speculation of potential coalitions as political players assess their individual electoral strengths ahead of the polls.

In a separate interview, UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala said the party was engaging various political stakeholders as part of pre-election preparations.

“Yes, we are having conversations with other political parties. At this point, we cannot disclose who they are, but we are exploring options for partnerships that align with our vision and values,” Njawala said.

On his part, Alliance for Democracy (Aford) president Enock Chihana said the party was ready to work with those who believe in democracy and want to uplift the lives of Malawians

“We are ready for [an] alliance in the forthcoming presidential election,” Chihana said

The renewed interest in alliances is not surprising to political observers, with many analysts noting that no single party currently commands widespread, broad-based national support.

Chancellor College-based political scientist Ernest Thindwa observed that while alliances may be seen as politically symbolic, the value they add, in terms of actual electoral gains, remains questionable.

“Based on electoral data from the past two election cycles, not many parties can convincingly claim to have a strong national appeal that could decisively shift the vote,” Thindwa said.

He argued that the main motivation behind the push for alliances was likely rooted in fear of going it alone, rather than a well-calculated move to gain additional decisive votes.

“In essence, the proposition of electoral alliances by major parties such as DPP or MCP [Malawi Congress Party] appears more defensive than strategic. Most minor parties do not possess the electoral base needed to influence the outcome significantly,” he said.

As the election date draws closer, the political landscape is expected to shift further, with more parties likely to declare their positions on possible alliances in the coming weeks.