PP deputy spokesperson Faustace Chirwa quits: ‘I don’t subscribe to working with MCP’

People’s Party (PP) depuy publicity secretary, Faustace Chirwa has resigned from the party, a few days after the party’s leader and former president, Joyce Banda, endorsed Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Dr. Lazarus Chakwera candidature ahead of the May 21 Tripartite Elections.

Banda withdrew from the presidential race citing national unity above personal ambitions.

It is obvious Chirwa’s resignation is as a result of Banda’s decision to support the opposition MCP presidential candidate, which she may not have been in favour of.

In her resignation letter dated March 20 2019  seen by Nyasa Times and addressed to PP Secretary General, Ibrahim Matola, Chirwa writes: “I hereby submit my resignation as captioned above with immediate effect.

“The reason for my resignation is that I had  endorsed the initial decision the PP National Executive  Committee had made a month ago to  go into an alliance with the United Transformation Movement/Party   for the sole purpose of supporting Rt Hon Saulos Chilima to lead this country after 21 May 2019 guided by his transformative vision he has for this country! I was happy with the Party’s earlier stand”.

The renowned women’s rights activist and politician says she honoured the Joyce Banda’s abrupt change of thought and her decision to form an alliance with MCP  and the part the PP president  would play in the alliance supported by the PP National Executive Committee including its membership and wishes the alliance well.

“Since my whole purpose for supporting the former president and her party has been to see her lead the nation after May 21 her unexpected change of heart and her withdrawal from the presidential race has totally devastated me and undermined my advocacy in promoting her to be the country’s  leader once again!  I was always proud to associate myself with the former president and to serve on her NEC.

“Suffice to mention that I don’t subscribe to the decision to work with MCP and it’s leadership, not for any negative reason but simply guided by my right to freedom of association!

“With humility, I thank the former president and PP president for her support and her trust in me to serve her as her Deputy Publicity Secretary and NEC Member.   God should always bless her,” concludes the letter.

Faustace Chirwa is one of the country’s most respected women activists and politicians who was crucially instrumental in changing Malawi’s politics from one party dictatorship to multiparty democracy in the early 1990s.