Malawi Congress Party gives ‘rebels’ amnesty: Chakwera seeks to end infighting

Main opposition Malawi Cogress Party (MCP) has extended olive branch to party ‘rebels’ and asked them to come back and work with the leadership in a move to end political squabbles.

Party acting spokesperson Eisenhower Mkaka confirmed the development on Sunday, saying party president Lazarus Chakwera summoned the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which was held on Saturday in Lilongwe.

“The meeting was about the status of the party. It was about mapping the way forward and how we can build a stronger party ahead of the 2019 elections,” Mkaka said.

“Those who worked against us can come back. After all, we are one family,” he said.

Mkaka said the party believes in democracy hence its decision to call back those who were fired.

Chatinkha Chidzanja Nkhoma, Salima central MP Felix Jumbe are some of the fired senior officials from the party.

On the convention as demanded by the ‘rebel’ secretary general Gustave Kaliwo, Mkaka said the convention will be held in 2018 as provided for by the party constitution.

“The president talked about the regular convention which will be held in 2018,” he said.

Mkaka said Chakwera told the party’s NEC members he was in discussions with Kaliwo on the need to work together.

Said Mkaka: “The president has been receiving a number of petitions requesting him to fire the secretary general and the popular expectation was the he or the NEC would crack the whip, but the president said that was not the best approach.

“He said he was in talks with the SG and they have agreed on the way forward and he thinks we can move forward as a unified force by getting more people on board than firing them.”

Squabbles have erupted in the second strongest party in the country threatening its chances of grabbing power from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Chakwera has meanwhile received praise from commentators for his apparent intea-party conflict resolution mechanism, as demonstrated that he is now in talks with party secretary general  to resolve their differences  and that the party will, after six months, announce the dates for its national convention where all positions, including  Chakwera’s , will be up for grabs.

The MCP president has been hailed for showing maturity and that he has the interest of the public ahead of selfish individual interests.

Commentators say instability in MCP, as the official opposition  or indeed government-in-waiting, is not good for the country;s democracy.