BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential aspirant Alex Major has called the party to set a date for an elective convention, arguing that the continued delay is leaving critical questions about its leadership unresolved.
Major argues that MCP should not sidestep the question of whether its current president Lazarus Chakwera should continue leading it beyond the next convention, saying the matter needs to be resolved in accordance with the party’s constitution.
Major says the National Governing Council (NEC) should have prioritised setting an early convention date instead of leaving the succession question unresolved, arguing that a convention would provide an opportunity for members to determine the party’s leadership and restore unity.
He further maintains that resolving the leadership issue early will give MCP sufficient time to reorganise and prepare for the 2030 general elections, with the party seeking to recover from its 2025 electoral defeat.
Meanwhile, political commentator Moses Mkandawire has backed calls for the succession question to be carefully considered, saying the party needs to handle the matter in a manner that prevents further divisions.
Major’s call follows Wednesday’s MCP NEC meeting in Lilongwe, which focused on filling vacant positions and strengthening the party’s structures following its defeat in the 2025 general elections.
The meeting also considered measures to rebuild the party ahead of the 2030 polls, but the contentious question of succession was not placed on the agenda.
His position also comes amid growing internal debate over Chakwera’s political future.
Some MCP members have been calling for a new leader, while others have publicly backed Chakwera to remain at the helm and lead the party into the 2030 elections.
In July, MCP officials in the Eastern Region endorsed Chakwera, while grassroots supporters in Kasungu also publicly rallied behind his possible return.
The leadership dispute has also escalated in recent months, with MCP veterans in August reportedly attempting to shut down offices used by Chakwera and Secretary General(SG ) Richard Chimwendo Banda.
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