LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Some of the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) district chairpersons over the weekend demanded an apology from a section of the party’s Members of Parliament (MPs)who they accuse of interfering in the management of the country’s oldest political party.
Addressing the news conference in the capital Lilongwe, the district chairpersons faulted the legislators for holding a meeting last week where they tackled the ongoing internal wrangle pitting MCP president Lazarus Chakwera and a faction comprising party secretary general (SG) Gustave Kaliwo, first vice-president Richard Msowoya, second vice-president Macdonald Lombola, deputy SG James Kaunda and replaced treasurer general Tony Kandiero.
The chairpersons argued that the MCP constitution does not give the party’s MPs any powers to call for such a meeting to discuss intra-party politics or infighting or even to call for the removal of any elected official.
The MCP district leaders included John Chiluzi-Phiri from Chikwawa, Jimmy Chisenga of Kasungu, Foloma Mwale from Mchinji, Keliyasi Chanza from Mwanza, Peter Laisoni Phiri from Mulanje, Isaac Nyirenda-Mphepo from Nkhata Bay and Ephraim Tengeletu from Dowa.
“How can educated MPs start fighting their own members? Where have they gotten powers to start calling for meetings? Did they consult their constituents? They need to apologise. It is not in their power to do that. This is a party, not Parliament. If they think we are joking, then come 2019 we will de-campaign them.” said Keliyasi Chanza from Mwanza,
During their meeting on Tuesday last week, the MCP legislators recommended to the MCP national executive committee (NEC) that a convention be held by March 26 2018.
The legislators also endorsed the candidature of politician Mohammad Sidik Mia for the position of the party’s vice-president at the next convention.
They also faulted Kaliwo over his signature in a January 13 2018 letter to Chakwera, describing it as one of the pointers to his incompetence. The MPs called for Kaliwo’s suspension.
Reacting to the district chairpersons’ position, Lilongwe Msinja South legislator Lingson Belekanyama, one of the estimated 35 out of MCP’s 60 MPs who attended the Tuesday meeting, laughed off the threats, saying the MPs owe no one an apology for expressing their views.
Belekanyama said the lawmakers, like any other party member, have every right to petition NEC whenever they have grievances.
“The district chairpersons don’t have what it takes to de-campaign people like Belekanyama. These district chairpersons are only being used by the ‘rebels’ who want to further bring disunity in our party and sadly they [district chairpersons] seem not to know this.
“We cannot apologise and let them know that as MPs we will not stand and watch while some ‘rebels’ try and destroy the party.” Belekanyama challenged.
Other MCP legislators, including Msowoya—who is also Speaker of the National Assembly, Joseph Njovuyalema (Lilongwe Mapuyu South), Juliana Lunguzi (Dedza East), Jessie Kabwila (Salima North-East) and Khumbize Chiponda (Kasungu South East did not attend the meeting.
The MPs’ meeting last Tuesday was prompted by the letter written by Kaliwo, Msowoya, Lombola, Kandiero and Kaunda accusing Chakwera of going against his own words and flouting the party’s constitution.
In his response to the MPs’ position, Kaliwo, a lawyer by profession, accused the legislators of attempting to usurp the party president’s powers by reacting to the issue raised in the letter addressed to him.
“The letter [to Chakwera] was courteous and we expected a response from the president, either to go on with the management meeting or call for consultations. The MPs should give president Chakwera a chance to respond to the letter, not exerting pressure on him in this manner,” said Kaliwo.
