MCP fires seven District Chairmen over dissent

Malawi Congress Party(MCP), has fired seven of its Central region district Chairmen for being suspected to be the ones behind confusion locking the party with growing calls to call for early convention citing nepotism and maladministration as some of the key reasons.

But the decision will be reviewed by the National Executive committee(NEC).

The party fired the seven on Tuesday 26 January, 2016 after hearing from their side during the meeting which took place at  the MCP  regional headquarters in Lilongwe which was chaired by the central region chairman, Patrick Chilonda.

The fired District chairmen include a  Mr Chisenga of Kasungu west,  Mr CK Banda from  Mchinji North,  Mr Foloma Mwale of  Mchinji North,  Mr Selani of Dowa East, Mr Tengeretu of Dowa West,  Mr Kachule from Lilongwe west and  Mr Chichitike of Ntchisi.

Sources from within the party told Nyasa Times that the seven have been fired for being found to be meeting in secret with non MCP office holders where they were discussing suspicious matters without knowledge of the Regional Chairman.

The sources said “At the more recent secrete meeting in Kanengo the Regional Intelligence and Youth Teams caught a few of the DCs at the premises of one Lyton  Dzombe, a person who has been going around canvassing support for Anti-Chakwera petitions. This they did without the blessing or knowledge of the regional chairperson,” said our source.

Adding “Worse still at the Kanengo meeting, these DCs were in company of Mr Mkweza , a Regional Chairman from another Region, Lakeshore.”.

It is also alleged that during the Kanengo meeting, the district chairmen were in company of one Azam Gilbert Mwale, another confusionist  who later gave an interview on Zodiak, castigating MCP and its President and confirming the Anti-Chakwera campaign.

“All District Chairmen  accused, testified that it was veteran  politician Foloma Mwale who was leading the communication and summoning his colleagues at all meetings so it is with the foregoing that the Regional Chairman and his committee feel these are people who don’t wish the party well.
They have shown insubordination. They are sowing seeds of confusion. The Party cannot trust them.
They don’t wish the President well . They are aligning themselves to non MCP people who have sinister plans against MC,” said the party source.

But in an interview with Nyasa Times, MCP Publicity Secretary, Dr Jessie Kabwira confirmed having heard about the sacking of the District chairmen.

Howeve,  Kabwila said she was surprised to hear that because she believe the constitution has not been followed.

She said NEC will review the decision.

Three out of four Regional Chairmen recently held a news conference reminding Chakwera to answer them their letter which they wrote asking explanation on  various party issues.

Four Regional Chairs  Stowell Gondwe of North  North Region, Bauleni Mkweza of Lakeshore, Abi Jana of Eastern Region and Baza Kanda of North South on 9 January, 2016, penned MCP President Dr Lazarus Chakwera alongside two Vice President, Richard Msowoya and Macdonald Lombola asking them to defend themselves on nepotism allegations or else they should call for early convention.

In the letter it was also alleged that MCP president Lazarous Chakwera is failing to address manage the party where the management committee has been seen to be more powerful than the NEC.

But reports from the MCP main camp indicate that Abi Jana has withdrawn from the ring living out Gondwe, Kaunda and Mkweza to fight Chakwera.

Party’s PRO Alekeni Menyani said the president is from Lilongwe, his vice Richard Msowoya is from the North, his second vice Macdonald Lombola is from the South the Secretary general is from Zomba and the party’s publicity secretary is from Salima.

“You can see that all positions have been evenly distributed,” said Menyani.

Meanwhile the chairmen have accused the party for calling them expired leaders.

“The party is calling us expired leaders so why did the same party used us to vote for Chakwera during the convention? Should we say he is there illegally, this is very unfortunate indeed,” said Kaunda.

Menyani, who is also a member of parliament for Dedza North North West Constituency, said there are other forces outside the party who are using the current officer holders .

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