By Innocencia Chikuse
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President Lazarus Chakwera, fully understanding the American generated phrase that ‘all politics is local,’ has sanctioned an offensive operation to penetrate the Eastern region, arguably the domain of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and in recent years of the erstwhile ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
An action group involving all MCP political players in the Eastern Region met over the weekend in Mangochi Boma where they conducted their stratagem meeting. The indaba drew party office-bearers—District Chairmen, Chair-ladies and youth chairs from all the 7 political districts in the eastern region namely Zomba, Chingale, Ntaja, Machinga, Balaka, Namwera and Mangochi.
According to our source, the meeting discussed the current political situation in the region in which the delegates from the districts expressed concerns of the lack of party visibility in the region and suggested grassroots engagement and recruitment through political rallies and mobility facilities for local party leadership.
Our source further narrated that the action group which has been tasked with making sure that they religiously champion this incursion has been tasked with the mission of finding out what the party can do in the eastern region to establish a romance with the people there.
In an interview, the Mangochi-Monkey-Bay-based MCP politician who is also the Deputy Secretary-General of the party, Gerald Kazembe, while acknowledging that the said meeting took place played down the assertions that the party has given a green light to launch an offensive operation in the region.
“It was one of those routine meetings where we call office-bearers to discuss party issues” said Kazembe.
He added:
“Every party’s wish is to conquer new frontiers and the growth of any political outfit is measured when you start enjoying support in areas where the same lacked and there are indicators to check if progress is being made and if there is need to change tact. It is normal but the way you are posing your questions is as if the party is suspending its business to focus on the so-called offensive operation. No, whosoever fed you with the so-called incursion or offensive operation was just but just exaggerating,” said the cool, calm, and composed Kazembe when asked to confirm the meeting.
Our source, speaking on authority, claimed that the meeting was calculated to show the unity of purpose ahead as they roll out their operation.
The source claimed the meeting was attended by the MCP big-wigs in the region namely Gerald Kazembe, the Regional Chairperson Hon. Kawalazira, Hon Munde, Hon Ngalande MP, Hon Lwanda, Hon. Kaisi, Hon. Hassan, Hon Sheik Fahad, Hon Sheik Abbas, Hon Khan, Hon Nyengo, Hon Matumula, Hon Chanthunya, Hon Ntandama, and Hon Gertrude Khan.