MCP’s crunch NEC meeting as leadership battle over Chakwera intensifies

Main opposition Malawi Congress Party is bracing for a dramatic showdown this Wednesday, with senior officials set to gather in Lilongwe for a crunch National Executive Committee meeting that could determine the party’s entire future direction.

At the heart of the explosive agenda: how to rebuild the battered party through regional elections, and crucially, how to prepare for a make-or-break national convention where MCP must choose a brand-new leader to spearhead its charge into the 2030 elections.

The stakes couldn’t be higher — former president Dr Lazarus Chakwera is currently BARRED from contesting the 2030 presidential race under MCP’s own party constitution, sparking fierce debate over who should take the reins.

Under the party’s rules, Chakwera simply cannot seek MCP’s presidential ticket again — a bombshell restriction that has plunged the party into fevered speculation over its next move.

But defiant grassroots supporters aren’t going down without a fight. The MCP committee in eastern Kasungu has dramatically called on the party to tear up its own constitution and clear the way for Chakwera to make an explosive political comeback.

Committee chairperson Chisomo Mbembeza insisted the passionate call reflects the genuine wishes of ordinary MCP supporters desperate to hand Chakwera another shot at leading the party.

Mbembeza was quick to stress the push isn’t about blocking rivals from throwing their hat in the ring.

“We are speaking on behalf of the people at grassroots level,” he declared, insisting the campaign is rooted in genuine gratitude for what Chakwera achieved for Malawians during his time in office.

But not everyone is convinced. Political commentator Chimwemwe Tsitsi has urged the rebellious committee to respect proper democratic procedure — bluntly warning that any change to MCP’s constitution can ONLY be legally made at the party’s national convention, not through grassroots pressure campaigns.

Astonishingly, while MCP’s own constitution locks Chakwera out, Malawi’s national Constitution actually allows him to run for president again in 2030 — meaning the real battle isn’t about his eligibility at all.

The explosive question now facing MCP bosses: will the party bow to grassroots pressure and rewrite its own rulebook to give Chakwera a shot at reclaiming power — or will a new leader be chosen to carry the party forward instead?