MP Jumbe, Chidzanja-Nkhoma defiant at MCP expulsion

The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) expelled Member of Parliament (MP) for Salima Central Felix Jumbe and senior member Chatinkha Chidzanja Nkhoma have  come out fighting  after being expelled from  the party and challenged the National Executive Committee (NEC) decision, saying they will fight on.

The two plan to challenge the decision in court, saying it is  against principals of natural justice as they were not accorded the right to be heard.

Jumbe,  Chidzanja Nkhoma were expelled along side some senior party officials including Denis Nathumba, Lyton Dzombe, Chatinkha and Azam Mwale for sowing divisions.

MCP President Lazarus Chakwera defended the decision for expelling them from the party.

Once a close ally of  Chakwera,  Chatinkha,  is now one of his strongest critics.

She challenged Chakwera of having personal vendetta with those with dissenting views over his leadership.

Chidzanja-Nkhoma dismissed the NEC decision, saying she never applied to become an MCP member and Chakwera could not stop her from being one.

“The party cannot fire us without due processes. Why did the NEC not invite us to hear our side of the story? As a leader aspiring to become a national leader, he [Chakwera] should have democratic tendencies,” said Chidzanja-Nkhoma.

She argued that MCP has contravened its own constitution of not allowing her to be heard.

“Chakwera as a leader alongside the NEC can’t fire me at all cost because no tenant will dare to vacate their landlord on his own house. I was born in MCP and will die there.

“My effort to talk to the leadership proved futile as all avenues to do so were closed. So, all over the sudden you can’t be dismissed without being heard. What I want is to have a unifying leader in MCP. Chakwera can make a very good President for this country but what has remained is to be accommodative to all members in the party ahead of 2019 Tripartite election which MCP need to win,” said Chatinkha.

And  Jumbe  also challenged the decision to expel him from MCP, questioning NEC’s mandate of not following party procedures for failing to summon him in order to hear his side of the story.

“This expulsion contravenes rules of natural justice where concerned parties are supposed to be heard. I will remain MCP member until all party procedures are followed for my expulsion.

“Since this issue has erupted, the party has never given me a platform to hear my side of story. This means that my birth right of being heard has been violated. In fact I am just hearing from you the media that the party has expelled me,” said Jumbe.

MCP also suspended party spokesperson Jessie Kabwila and lawmaker Joseph Njobvuyalema for being accused of having a hand for last week’s botched plot to burn the party’s headquarters in the capital Lilongwe.

“Looking at the gravity of the allegation, NEC decided to suspend the two while subjecting them to a disciplinary process managed by a disciplinary committee that was constituted by NEC with effect from August 31 2016,” Chakwera said.

The committee has 30 days to investigate and call for a hearing of the suspended legislators before a decision is made.

Chakwera said the legislators’ positions in Parliament would remain secure until a decision of the disciplinary committee is communicated to the NEC after which a final decision would be made.

The duo’s suspension runs till September as a special committee has been set aside to hear their side of the story before the final verdict is made on them.