"[5] The AFORD or Alliance for Democracy is now a political party whose mission under the leadership of Chihana was to reconstruct the economy, attract investors, and improve Malawi's infrastructure.
[6] The AFORD was opposed to furthering the reign of the autocratic leader Banda and sought rather to promote the idea of true democracy.
[8] AFORD's support is concentrated in the northernmost parts of Malawi for many reasons, including the fact that trade union leader Chakufwa Chihana was born in the Mhuju village.
The AFORD party suffered a unilateral split when Chakufwa Chihana loss faith in Malawi's government after accusing it of corruption during his vice presidency in 2003-2004.
[13] Gowa Nyasula took up the role as AFORD's president in the 2004 race for the election which led to him shouldering the bulk of the funding for the party.
[19] However, Chihana was permitted to be second vice-president of the Republic, while his colleagues were given ministerial positions ultimately leading to a split within the party in 2003.
[22] AFORD managed to rank last losing to the DPP's candidate, Bingu wa Mutharika, in the 2009 presidential election by acquiring .45 percent of the votes in 2009.
Of the 7 470 806 registered voters in Malawi, the DPP's presidential candidate Bingu wa Mathrika won with little to no opposition from the AFORD party.