A political commentator George Phiri says it is undemocratic, the growing tendency of endorsing presidential candidates among political parties, before an elective convention.

The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have already endorsed their presidential candidates, with no one coming forward to challenge them.

MCP has resolved to maintain President Lazarus Chakwera, so too the DPP endorsing its leader Peter Mutharika as their respective torchbearers for next year's elections. Some have even attributed the resignation of

This is despite the fact that the parties will be holding their elective conventions next month where delegates are supposed to freely elect leaders of their choice.

Reacting to the trend, Phiri advises the delegates not be influenced by such endorsements and stick to the principles of democracy.

Meanwhile despite the trend being attributed to MCP and DPP only, other commentators also argue that the disease even trickles to other parties as well which mostly suffer the founder syndrome.

For instance, Aford will always be led by Enoch Chihana, son of Chakufwa Chihana who founded the party. The story is the same with UDF with Atupele Muluzi, son of Dr Bakili Muluzi. You cannot even talk about People's Party which is still in the hands of the