MCP disposes off assets in Blantyre

The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president John Tembo is on rampage selling MCP assets as he prepares to leave the party leadership, Nyasa Times has established.

The properties being sold out are listed under the Kwacha Trust which was established by late MCP leaders Kamuzu Banda in 1995 to ensure that MCP should not lack resources to fund its sustainability and growth.

Three of the MCP properties on the list have been sold in the last five weeks.

A house in Sunnyside, previously occupied by former MCP president Gwanda Chakuamba, has been sold for K20 million.

A plot in Ndirande has been sold through an MCP official Mrs. Kanyoni for K900, 000.

Another plot in Kabula in Blantyre has been sold through an MCP official Charles Kamala for K1 million.

Regional Chairman for the South Mr. Namthumba denied any knowledge of the transactions in his catchments area.

MCP spokesperson Nancy Tembo said the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) agreed to sell off the Sunnyside house.

Tembo however said the vice president, Macdonald Lombola was better placed to comment.

But Lombola declined to give details on the buyers of the properties and how much MCP has realized from the sales.

In his response when asked, Chris Banda, who is the Chief Strategist for the MCP Taskforce for Leadership Change said Tembo is now on the run trying to sell assets to save money on which he can live when he leaves the leadership of the party.

Banda said that this is a bad way of doing things and pointed out that as a party, MCP needs to consider a package of a pension for Tembo.

“We are in fact willing to give him a pension to set a precedence that former leaders of the party can be looked after well,” he said.

But Banda said he is opposed to what Tembo is currently doing which he said amounts to “vandalisation of party assets as if they are his personal estate”.

“The message to Hon Tembo and those who are helping him sell MCP assets is very simple; you will account for these sells, and the party will seek to recover the money you have made. We shall seek the help of the courts to have you pay back the money so that we can replenish the stock of assets Kamuzu left for the party and not for Hon Tembo as an individual to be using to buy loyalty,” said the outspoken Banda.

Banda has asked the MCP National Executive Committee (NEC) to ask Tembo to explain about these sells and that the NEC has a moral responsibility to safeguard the party assets in the face of a leader who is now on rampage to leave the party empty handed.

“A failure to do so on the part of the NEC amounts to either consent that these unilateral actions by Hon Tembo are acceptable in the party or that you are sheer puppets forming a toothless cloud around Hon Tembo while he runs the party as an individual’s personal estate,” said Banda.

Tembo, 77, has hinted that he will quit his position as leader of MCP and allow new president to take over through a national convention.

Tagged with: Chris Banda, John Tembo, Kamuzu, Kwacha Trust, MCP, Nancy Tembo

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