MCP’s Kawale deletes Facebook post on Chakwera torchbearer: Says ‘taken out of context’

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) chief whip in parliament Sam Kawale deleted a Facebook post which hinted their party president Lazarus Chakwera  will be presidential candidate of the ‘Tonse’ alliance of MCP  and UTM with other parties.

MCP and UTM alliance has notannounce their presidential candidate and runningmate between Chakwera and UTM’s leader Saulos Chilima.

Kawale, who is also MCP legislator for Dowa North East Constituency,  in a Facebook post after registering for the 2020 fresh presidential elections hinted that Chakwera will be  the torchbearer.

“Ready to vote for Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, the orchBearer of the grand alliance. Kwachaa,” wrote Kawale.

This had generated different reactions from  MCP and UTM supporters.

However, Kawale later deleted the post on social media.

Asked by Nyasa Times  why the post was taken down, Kawale, who is a trained journalist, said some quarters had misinterpreted his post.

“The post has been taken out of context,” he said.

He said the post was done without authority and has no consequence.

Meanwhile, MCP deputy publicity secretary Ezekiel Ching’oma asked Malawians and supporters of all the parties in the alliance to have patience, saying an announcement will be made soon.

“On the issue of who will lead the alliance, Malawians should be patient, we are going to announce soon,” said Ching’oma.

On his part, UTM spokesperson Jospeg  Chidanti Malunga said  Malawians should wait for the official communication as it will be made public when the time is right.

Chilima and Chakwera—the duo that secured the landmark judgement by the five-judge panel of the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court that nullified the May 21 2019 presidential election on February 3 2020—entered into an alliance this year and it was expected that the torchbearer of the alliance will either be Chakwera or UTM leader Chilima.

The alliance  which includes other parties such as People’s Party and Alliance for Democracy is being christened as Tonse Alliance.

On Wednesday, Chakwera held a news conference in Lilongwe where a banner with the name Tonse Alliance was displayed.

In the run-up to the annulled presidential election, Chakwera partnered former president Joyce Banda and her People’s Party (PP) as well as the country’s former vice-president Khumbo Kachali and his Freedom Party. All these parties are still in the grand alliance.

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