Aford prepares to elect leader: Delegates arrive for convention

Hundreds of members of the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) arrived Monday in the capital Lilongwe ahead of the party’s indaba scheduled for Tuesday, May 1 at St. Don Bosco Youth Institute but the party will have to verify the delegates who would take part in proceedings.

The convention  has already suffered significant delays  with controversy after Frank Mwenifumbo, a presidential aspirant, said he would be holding a parallel one on Saturday at Giolden Peacock Hotel.

But incumbent president Enoch Chihana’s team managed to get an injunction that restrained Mwenifumbo from going ahead with holding the parallel indaba.

Mwenifumbo, who is likely to be the only contender to Chihana, gave in to the injunction through a press briefing on Monday.

The two face each other in a tense battle that will dictate the future of the once popular party in the North. It is yet unclear who will win.

In an interview, AFORD publicist Khumbo Mwaungulu, said all was set for the convention.

According to him, about 764 delegates across the country will attend the convention.

Chiradzulu district chairperson, Salani Chisinza, said they were ready to work with AFORD.

“We’ve been AFORD even before [Chakufwa] Chihana returned home from exile. It is the only party we know,” said Chisinza.

He laughed off the well-known stereotype that AFORD is a party for North Malawi.

“Are we northerners? That is a big lie. Come to Chiradzulu, and you will find many people who are AFORD there,” he said.

However, observers say  Aford would battle to resuscitate its values.