MCP SG Kaliwo’s ‘thesis’ challenges Chakwera: Denies being Nkolokolo

Secretary General of main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Gustav Kaliwo, has  written a nine-paged letter to party president Lazarous Chakwera, challenging him to ensure he steadies the ship and rejuvenate MCP into a formidable government-in-waiting.

Kaliwo: Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth
Kaliwo: Have I therefore become a nkholokolo  because I tell you the truth?

The letter date September 13, 2016 has been leaked and Nyasa Times has a copy.

Kaliwo, a practising prominent lawyer, had not  confirmed the authenticity of the letter at the time of the posting the story .

In the letter, Kaliwo has supported a section of some party members and supporters calling for a national convection.

He started his letter to Chakwera by writing: “I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour whom we both profess to believe in.”

The MCP secretary general says he penned the letter after making “careful considerations”, saying he would “in the not too distant future” discuss the issues he is raising with the party president.

“I am aware that there are those that will say that by writing to you in thus fashion I am just playing into the hands of our detractors and joining the bandwagon of those that have openly criticised your leadership style. I will quickly be categorised as a rebel. Anti-Chakwera, kapilikoni or nkholokolo,” Kaliwo says in his letter to Chakwera.

He says “ there comes a times what needs to be said must be said, regardless of the consequences,” and that to him  , the letter is such opportunity to speak out regardless of what his critics would say.

Kaliwo said he has only his conscience and God to answer to.

He faulted the party’s recent decision to fire those with dissenting views and suspend other members, saying that demonstrates lack of intra-party democracy.

MCP secretary general argued that the space and atmosphere where people ca freely express their frustrations and offer solutions is lacking in the party.

“People with contrary views are not given space but rather being viewed as desperados,” he said.

Kaliwo said the expulsion from the party of Salima Central MP Felix Jumbe and suspension of Lilongwe Mapuyu south MP Joseph Njobvuyalema and Salima North West MP Jessie Kabwila who is also party spokesperson was regrettable.

“Can the MCP afford to lose sitting MPs years before the next election?” he queried.

He asked Chakwera if MCP is “happy” to let the MPs be “free agents” that can be courted by their competitors.

“The present decision, if not corrected, would mean; donating’ three MPs to the forced that we as a party should be fighting. This further weakens our position in parliament,” said Kaliwo in his political ‘theses to Chakwera.

“Somehow we are losing some of the best people among us,” he pointed out.

Kaliwo also faulted the suspension of MCP first deputy secretary general James  Chalonda Kaunda and that the decision should be reversed because it is “wrong and untenable at law.”

 

He also criticised elections of party officials in the districts, urging caution , saying “at the moment the elections are viewed more as a purge [to those with dissenting views] than a strategy to strengthen the structures of the party.”

Kaliwo said critics are  comparing the party frontline troops with “the intolerant MCP of the past.”

He reminded Chakwera that former party leader John Tembo faced  challenges from ‘nkholokolo’s’ like former secretary general Chris Daza , Ted Kalebe and late Ishmael Chafukila but the party “showed restraint” and even allowed Daza to remain in the office.

“This is the level of tolerance that is expected of a party that intends to divorce itself from the it’s ugly past,” he advises.

Kaliwo continued: “ Because of the gravity of our dented  past, perceived or otherwise, we have to go an extra mile, even beyond the call of our duty to show the people out there  that indeed we are a changed ad transformed party.

“We cannot be democrats by day and autocrats by night.”

Kaliwo supported the calls for a national convention, saying  it will not be a sign of weakness but rather a show of strength and democratic accountability” so that the entre membership of MCP own decisions that have recently been made.

Chakwera has not responded to the letter.

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Mtengo Wautali
Mtengo Wautali
7 years ago

Bravo Gustave. You have always been a sensible person all along!

Kent Y.G. Mphepo, Blantyre
Kent Y.G. Mphepo, Blantyre
7 years ago

Kent Y.G. Mphepo, Blantyre Countrymen, I am one of those who have keenly followed the history of Malawi and MCP inclusive. Like I have said on this forum before, what is taking place in MCP right now is, to me, deja vu i.e. it is happening like it happened in the past. The 1964 Cabinet Crisis was more of a party (MCP) matter than a government matter and it all came about because of people in the party who felt that they had better qualifications to run the party, either because they participated in the reformation of MCP (from Nyasaland… Read more »

Kanchenga
Kanchenga
7 years ago

How I wish many Malawians read your writeup with an open mind and make un influenced observation. However Mr Kaliwo claims to believe in God. If indeed it is true that he does he will have noticed that God uses seemingly weak members of society to save his people. He chose Abraham to be a father of the nation of Israel in a land where there were Kings. He chose slave boy Joseph to save Egypt and surrounding lands from starvation. He chose Moses a murder to lead Israelites out of Egypt. He chose David a sheep tender to become… Read more »

Winteram
Winteram
7 years ago

After all is said and done these guys have got a point to make and prove. To rebel all these ‘heavy weights’ of our MCP as desperados and that they are all being used by DPP is a mistake of highest magnitude…. Utsi umenewu wanyanya and wayamba kundipsa its becoming a non-starter every hearing bad nuz of MCP… Kusiyana maganizo its politics but kuchotsana mu chipani its not always a better solution… Chakwera awonepo bwino pamenepa because all these noises can not just come, there is something TERRIBLY wrong in our party

I rest my case

Mubarak
Mubarak
7 years ago

Kaliwo you should be ashamed of yourself. If you are a good SG as you pause here, why didn’t you discuss your concerns with the president? Letters are for cowards . Big shame on you no wonder your law firm has never grown since 4 decades.

ANIVA..FISI..UJA...NDINE..!! NDATULUKA KU POLICE
ANIVA..FISI..UJA...NDINE..!! NDATULUKA KU POLICE
7 years ago

…..Yea, Chakwera, you are doing well. Fire everyone and you only become the member and president of MCP. You will have a strong party. MCP WOYEE!!! –

Zamunda
Zamunda
7 years ago

Nawenso tikuwonetsa msana wanjira ulondole nkholokolo zinzako. Not everyone can be a leader of the party. This is time for Chakwera. Period

Binnwell Kachikopa
7 years ago

But why penning Chakwera yet you are a secretary general? Ndiye u secretary general uli pati? What is restraining you face to face communication with Chakwera? I dont think you are fit for a secretary general because this case is supposed to rise from others and you should be responding to those others. Going to social media with your complaints just shows your icapability. If secretary general goes wild then otsalawo atani? Think twice Mr. KALIWO.

Mbava
7 years ago

Kaliwo now look why were those pple using MBC. I dont anything wrong in holding elections in districts thats a sign of democracy. Let Chakwera do it in his own way because 2019 he will be the candidate and he has to make all necessary measures to ensure that he has a winning team. Going to MBC was a very big sin to our party and have two royal MPs is a blessing than having those who r against the leadership. U have given example of pple like Chafukira and others including Ntaba, what was the reaction on of JZU,… Read more »

be humane
be humane
7 years ago

Go go go go Chakwera, fire Kaliwo he is being used by DPP as Well

ANIVA..FISI..UJA...NDINE..!! NDATULUKA KU POLICE
ANIVA..FISI..UJA...NDINE..!! NDATULUKA KU POLICE
7 years ago
Reply to  be humane

Yea, Chakwera, you are doing well. Fire everyone and you only become the member and president of MCP. You will have a strong party. MCP WOYEE!!!!

Youna
Youna
7 years ago

Its much better to loose three MPs that are destroying the party than to forsake the 4 cornerstones. Afterall they are not the first ones to dump us after being coaxed by the ruling parties. We can’t trust MPs that use DPP facilities to point out MCP’s leadership weaknesses (if at all there are some). I appeal to Chakwera to stand to the NEC’s grounds and move forward with the party’s agenda. Amene akuwanyengerela ma MP athuwo akungofuna kutisokoneza and after that they will dump them. Where is Kutsaila, Kalebe, Kamanya, Gwengwe, Zulu just to mention a few. Wake Up… Read more »

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