All systems go for MCP convention Aug. 9: Tembo barred
It’s all systems go for opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to hold its long-awaited national convention from August 9 to 11 2013 at the Natural Resources College in Lilongwe, the party’s outgoing president John Tembo has confirmed.
Tembo said the party has moved the convention from Bingu International Conference hall which will be engaged with the Sadc summit.
“Our dates of August 9 to 11 have clashed with the SADC meeting so we will hold the convention at NRC where delegates will be accommodated,” Tembo told Zodiak Broadcasting Services on Friday.
MCP had scheduled their convention for April 27 before it was indefinitely postponed with the party, citing lack of funding and appropriate accommodation as the major problem.
During the convention, the party is expected to elect a president who will also be the torchbearer in next year’s elections.
Tembo who has filed his nomination to run and is facing a challenge from 11 candidates who would want to lead the party is barred by the party constitution to seek another term.
He has however sugar-coated his disqualification, saying he wants to “pull out” if the number of candidates will not be trimmed from 12 to three.
“We are too many hence my decision to volunteer that I will pull out if the number is not trimmed,” said Tembo.
The contestants for the presidency include party secretary general Chris Daza, former Malawi Assemblies of God president Lazarus Chakwera, former Farmers Union of Malawi (Fum) president Felix Jumbe, retired chief justice Lovemore Munlo, former Cabinet Minister Jodder Kanjere, former secretary general Betson Majoni, MPs Edwin Banda (Nkhotakota Central), Watson Makala Ngozo (Lilongwe Mpenu) and Joseph Njobvuyalema (Lilongwe Mapuyu South) and the party’s former director of political affairs Eston Kakhome.
