An investigation of the political factors contributing to floor crossing in the Malawi National Assembly : 2003-2009
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Authors
Maganga, Anne Grace
Issue Date
2011-06
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Floor crossing , Political parties , Malawi National Assembly , Investigating political factors , Malawi politics , Members of parliament , Investigating political factors , Contributory factors , Politics , Crossing the floor , Political factors
Alternative Title
Abstract
Floor crossing was an unknown phenomenon in Malawi until the re-emergence of multiparty
politics in 1994. Since then the number of MPs crossing the floor in the Malawi National
Assembly has steadily increased from around twelve in 1994 to more than sixty in 2005. This
practice has continued even today. However, the biggest incident of floor crossing took place in
2005 when the State President, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, under the United Democratic Front
(UDF) decided to abandon the party that sponsored him into office to form his own, the
Democratic Progressive Party in February, 2005. Following him were several opposition MPs, a
move which sparked a lot of tension in the National Assembly.
The purpose of this study was to investigate political factors contributing to this phenomenon,
and it was established that, among other factors, institutional weaknesses of political parties and
gaps in the Constitution contributed significantly to floor crossing.
Description
Citation
Maganga, Anne Grace (2011) An investigation of the political factors contribution to floor crossing in the Malawi National Assembly : 2003-2009, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/4833>