MCP convention to proceed on July 7: Kaliwo invites Chakwera

The troubled opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has not contested against the calls by a grouping of party rebels led by Secretary General, Gustav Kaliwo to hold an emergency convention slated for next month and Kaliwo has said its all shystems go for the indaba.

Following the failure by the party to legally challenge the calls, Kaliwo and his team are proceeding with their plans and have since released a list of delegates to the convention set for 7th to 9th July at a venue in eastern region to be announced later.

The listed and invited delegates include the party president and leader of opposition, Lazarus Chakwera as well as his deputy and Speaker of Parliament, Richard Msowoya.

Other faces also invited are former Secretary General, Chris Daza, Jolly Kalelo, the outspoken Jessie Kabwila, Felix Jumbe and Joseph Njobvuyalema.

It is not clear  if Chakwera and his executive committee will attend the convention, and the party’s deputy Secretary General, Eisenhower Mkaka could not answers his phone when contacted several times before publishing this article.

Kaliwo called for the convention following a call made by over half of the party’s district committees as required by the MCP Constitution.

Some people, however, disagreed with claiming he had no mandate to call for the Convention.

But Kaliwo challenged those who did not welcome the announcement for Convention to write his office detailing how leadership wrangles and  impasse between Chakwera and district chairmen, league of Malawi Women and others could be resolved other than by a convention.

“Following the announcement that I made on 29th April 2017, I am pleased to announce that to date my office has not received any notice of any legal or political challenge to the holding of the Malawi Congress Party Convention. The Convention will therefore proceed as earlier announced,” said Kaliwo in a statement seen by Nyasa Times.

Kaliwo, who has since been advertising  in daily newspapers about the convention, said that so far no party official has come forth to challenge the convention legally or politically.

“The convention will therefore proceed as earlier announced from Friday 7th July, 2017 to Sunday 9th July, 2017.”

The invited list comprises of candidates elected during the 2013 convention and delegates that attended it. The delegates include regional committees, district and constituency chairpersons, League of Malawi Youth and League of Malawi Women.

The convention is expected to cost the party about K80 million, and it has been reported that the forum is going to be used to oust under-fire Lazarus Chakwera.

Those rumored and planning to contest against Chakwera include Msowoya who lately has been using his social media to paint a good picture of his accomplishments in life and contribution to the country.

Kaliwo said was forced to call for the convention due to growing concerns by party chairpersons across the country over Chakwera’s conduct as party president.

He said the calls for the convention have a backing of the party’s constitution, adding it was necessary to hold the convention to resolve the internal squabbles that have plunged the party into chaotic state.

According to Article 40 of the MCP constitution, an emergency convention can only be called if the party’s national executive committee resolves by two thirds of its membership, or at the request of half of the number of the district committees.

And Kaliwo argues he has a backing of more than half of the party’s district committees to call for the convention and that his move has a blessing of some of the executive committee members.

The proposed main committee for the forthcoming Convention has Hon B.W.E. Mkweza (Lakeshore) as Chairperson; Vice Chairperson Hon. D. Nathumba (South); Secretary Hon. Stowell Gondwe (North); Vice Secretary Hon. L. Belekanyama (Centre); and members James Kaunda (North), Tony Kandiero (South), Hon. A. Jana (Eastern), Hon. A. Khombe (Centre), Hon. J. Sendeza (Center) and Hon. Nyazimba (North).

“Any proposed member to the committee unable or not willing to serve in the proposed capacity should communite her or his inability/objection to the Convention Secretariat,” he advises.

The statement has names of over 640 delegates including those that resigned from the party.

Kaliwo once accused Chakwera of snubbing his calls for a face to face meeting to resolve some of the issues have been making rounds in the media about the party’s leadership.

According to Article 38 (1) of the party’s constitution, the convention being the highest authority of the party may remove the president, deputy president, or a member of national executive committee from office before the lapse of the period of which he or she was elected if he or she willfully and persistently disobeys the constitution.

MCP has been hit by a political whirlwind and cracks of division are now visible in the country’s oldest party with Chakwera being accused of corruption and lack of leadership.

Chakwera has been in the media accused of funds abuse, corruption and dictatorship.

The rebelling group accuses Chakwera of practicing tyrannical leadership which they regard as a threat to the country’s democracy once if he is elected as Malawi President.

They also cited diversion of party funds into his personal accounts as another ground aside from accusations of soliciting money from renowned business tycoons in return for positions and favours once the party gets into government.