, ▁on ▁the ▁beh est ▁of ▁Tem bo ▁and ▁K ad z am ira , ▁with ▁sed ition ▁and ▁given ▁a ▁ 2 2 - year ▁prison ▁sentence . ▁He ▁was ▁released ▁from ▁j ail ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁a ▁month ▁after ▁vot ers ▁end ors ed ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁multip art y ▁politics ▁in ▁a ▁refer endum . ▁ ▁Upon ▁his ▁release , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁opposition ▁United ▁Democratic ▁Front ▁( U DF ) ▁but ▁soon ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁M CP ▁and ▁became ▁secretary - general ▁of ▁the ▁party . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁the ▁M CP ▁announced ▁that ▁Band a ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁party ' s ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁forth coming ▁general ▁election ; ▁Ch aku amba ▁was ▁the ▁vice - pres ident ial ▁candidate . ▁In ▁Mal aw i ' s ▁first ▁multip art y ▁elections , ▁held ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Bak ili ▁Mul u zi ▁and ▁his ▁U DF ▁party ▁defeated ▁Band a ▁and ▁the ▁M CP . ▁Band a ▁retired ▁from ▁politics ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁and ▁Ch aku amba ▁succeeded ▁to ▁the ▁party ▁leadership . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁an ▁elect oral ▁al liance ▁between ▁the ▁M CP ▁and ▁the ▁Alliance ▁for ▁Dem ocracy ▁( AF ORD ) ▁was ▁announced ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁up coming ▁elections ▁that ▁would ▁take ▁place ▁in ▁May . ▁G w anda ▁Ch aku amba