Violence at MCP offices as police arrest Tembo aides
Scenes of violence
erupted at Malawi Congress Party (MCP) headquarters in Lilongwe on Wednesday morning when a group which is pressing party president John Tembo to resign wanted to present a petition and were roughed up.
The supporters who were mobilized by MCP legislators led by fired spokesman Ishamel Chafukila was attacked and beaten by Youth League of the party.
Two MCP members of parliament, Titus Males and Abel Kayembe were also attacked and sustained injuries.
Kayembe who represent Dowa west had his jacket torn apart and suffered cuts and bruises after being attacked by the supporters of Tembo.
Meanwhile, Police who trooped at the party offices to restore order arrested Tembo’s driver-cum body guard Isaac Phakamisa, Lyton Chidaya and Mai Masamba in connection with organizing the mob who attacked the protestors.
MCP director of research Lingston Belekanyama who is a close aide to Tembo said the party was not aware of any organized violence.
“We are not aware of that. But we do not condone violence of any form,” said Belekanyama.
He accused the ruling DPP of promoting and sponsoring fights in the MCP.
Belekanyama however said Tembo and MCP leadership will issue a media and public statement on recent political developments.
The march was organized by a group calling for party reform and resignation of Tembo which is led by former spokesman of the party, Ishmael Chafukila.
The movement argues that it has braved the aggressive and uncompromising character of Tembo to call for his resignation as the leader of our party because they strongly believe that contrary to a common belief that Tembo has built MCP, the party survived because of the work of many dedicated Malawians who have hung in there to keep the legacy of Kamuzu Banda going.
The movement accuses Tembo for reducing MCP from a vibrant political party under the Late Ngwazi Dr H Kamuzu Banda into now a party managed from the back room of his house in area 10.
“He sold the Party Headquarters to NICO for K30 million and no one knows what he has done with the money. Aspiring MPs were not funded they had to use their own resources despite Hon Tembo receiving a lot of donations during the campaign,” the group alleges.
“A leader must know when it is time that his political capital has been exhausted. Hon Tembo does not know an end to a road- so he has to be forced out. He does not realise that he is in fact the main reason why we have been losing.”
The group also vehemently support that the opposition block in the National Assembly should be able to elect their leader and that Tembo should not be an automatic holder of the title as stipulated by the standing orders.
Tagged with: Chafukila, MCP, Tembo
Loveness Gondwe started her own party after seeing that AFORD could not accomodate her anymore. So, why are Chafukira and his friends failing to start their own party and stick to MCP which is denying them now? These guys know that they cannot manage on their own to run a party. Let them not be cheated, MCP is there not to rule Malawi again. In Africa, I have never heard that a party which fought colonialism ever returned to power in these multiparty days. The party to rule Malawi is not born yet. DPP will fade away as these other parties, do not think it will be there for life. Come 2012, you will start hearing breaking of marriage in DPP, for those who will be alive as all is known by God, will agree with me Hands. So, Chafukira should start his own party and register it and see if he will have followers as NyaGondwe had. My good boy Kayembe, am rather puzzled as to why he has joined this group, all in all, his mother has been UDF for long, so knowing that standing on UDF ticket in thearea was not on, he cheated people to stand as an MCP, when he is not. All these who are advocating change in MCP, are not genuine MCP members and even those who were matching yesterday, were not real MCP members as I noticed vendors among the people. So this is indeed the work of other badwishers of MCP.
Finally, I aske Hon. Tembo to think deep and honourably call for a convention. I am also of the opinion that it is high time he stepped down and give room to other people to lead the party and not to Chafukira and his stooges such as Kadzamira who ran away from his project of a bridge at Kauma. He is a failure, and a thug who had and is terrorising people in Areas 49, 25, with his fellow thugs.
This is an indication that People of Malawi are indeed tired of Tembo’s leadership. Malawians let us support the the Pressure group to rebuild malawi and that need a well organised Opposition under a new leader and not the incumbent, namely TEMBO. This is a new malawi with new development and 1960 politics are tiresome. Everybody knows that DPP cannot dpo such a thing of supporting the MCP Pressure group as it already enjoys majority vote in the parliament and is always a clean party.
Muluzi and UDF are finished. The target now is MCP. If Chafukira thinks he has support, why can’t he form an own party.
Malawians, let’s wake up. Malawi will be a one party state without Tembo.
Chafukira, cannot be a leader. However, I am not trying to say JZU should stand in 2014 but he is the one to manage the transition.He cannot stand because of age and MCP constitution.
A Tembo woyeee!!!!!!!!!
Paja nthawi ya campign munkati “JZU ndi Sir Alex Ferguson waku Malawi” and “MCP ndi Man U yaku Malawi” So whats the problem Sir …….?????
The MCP membership must not allow its party to descend to the dark days of politics.Intimidation,beatings & killings of people who disagree with a certain leader has no place in this day and age.It dipicts sterile politics of a so called leader who has nothing else to contribute to the welfare of the country.The assault on the two MPs is disgraceful and it must act as a warning to all those who love our country.You should all work for change of your leadership,possibly wholesale change if necessary,that is the best way to rebuild the MCP.The present leadership is redundant,must be replaced sooner than later to enable the MCP gain credibility.
puludzuyo la 4o lakwana mizimu ya anthu onse anawapha panopa yayamba kushupa puludzu ameneyu ngati mulungu amene timpembedzayu simulungu akhala leader of opposition AMEN.
Politics is a continuous struggle until you kick the bucket so what is happening is understandable. But hey Tembo spare the lives of your opponets for gods sake especially Chafukira. The man is intelligent and hunky.