MCP civil war erupts: Party members challenge Chakwera’s authority and threaten court action

A growing rebellion has erupted inside the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) after a group of members formally petitioned party president Lazarus Chakwera to convene an emergency convention amid mounting disputes over presidential term limits, party boundary changes and election fees.

The explosive petition, dated 5 November 2026, was delivered on Tuesday to MCP administrative secretary Howard Kachipanda, piling fresh pressure on the party leader as internal divisions continue to deepen.Kachipanda confirmed receiving two sealed envelopes addressed to Chakwera but said he could not verify their contents because he had not opened them.

The petition was signed by former MCP Southern Region chairperson Dennis Nanthumba on behalf of a group of party members and veterans listed on an accompanying petition form.

In a blunt attack on the party leadership, Nanthumba claimed Chakwera’s mandate had run its course.

“We want the President to know that his term has expired. He has no powers to dictate matters in the party,” Nanthumba said.

The disgruntled members are demanding that Chakwera immediately trigger constitutional procedures for an emergency convention under Article 39 of the MCP Constitution.

In the petition, they urge his office to place the matter before the National Executive Committee and other relevant party organs without delay, facilitate arrangements for the convention, suspend the controversial demarcation exercise and scrap the recently announced candidature fees for committee elections.

The rebels have also issued an ultimatum, demanding a substantive written response within seven days. Failure to do so, they warn, could see the dispute taken to court.

At the heart of the row is an increasingly bitter battle over presidential term limits. Petitioners want the emergency convention to settle constitutional questions arising from Article 31(3) and (4) of the party constitution.

They argue that any attempt to amend the provisions should be dealt with separately from the issue of whether the current constitution is being followed.

The latest challenge underscores growing unrest within the MCP following its defeat in the September 2025 presidential election, with questions over Chakwera’s future leadership continuing to fuel tensions inside the governing party.