MCP disposes off assets in Blantyre

By Nyasa Times
Published: December 23, 2009

TemboThe 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: , , , , ,

Email This Post Email This Post

  1. wawa says:

    greedy politicians we have in our country can do anything to sustain themselves not the people.Lets work together to build a better malawi not selling party assets for one` own benefit.

  2. Chikutumbwe says:

    KUSUSUKA

    • Professor Kanyalala says:

      When a father starts selling family assets, it’s a sign that things are falling apart. Kamuzu was not stupid to leave such assets, it was for the sustainance of the party not for Tembo to sell and use the proceeds to pay up his legal fees (not the party’s) in his failed bid to get to Sanjika through the courts! Shame on you!!

  3. Mwenemukoma says:

    What will the money be used for? Will there be transparency? Will there be no accusations of money being misused by one person?

  4. Mahope a Mzamose says:

    Osangopuma ngati mzawo Chair timadziwa kuti alibe chilichonse zonse anapinyolitsa kwa Stanbrooke ndiye kusasanthuka kwakeko kutitcherengetse ife eni chipani .Baba kapumeni Kayembe alowe mo

  5. Khan'ga says:

    Has he ever thought what MCP would be like if Kamuzu did the same thing (selling assets because he was about to die)?

  6. Andrew says:

    Tembo can finally smell the coffee – that he will never ever be President of Malawi but sadly (with that realisation) he wants to take the MCP down with him.

    The day he is out of the Party, i will go back to the MCP. We will build our castle, MCP, brick by brick – however long it will take.

  7. weniweni says:

    Tiye nazo Puluzu phetsa kena kalikonse.Inenso i’m eyeing for those plots at the city centre kumabisala akayombe kuja nthawi ya operation bwezani.Zikatero timati zinthu zili kumalecheleche.You think anthu anaikako retirement anali ozungulira mitu.Amadziwa kuti chinthu chilichonse chili ndi nthawi only that african politicians don’t know the word of retirement until they are humiliated by the people they oppress.

  8. moga says:

    Tembo do it sooner than later