Simbi donation to Chakwera ‘just social media gossip’ from disgruntled MCP members 

South African based Malawian billionaire Simbi Phiri never gave opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president  Lazarus Chakwera cash amounting to R1 million as per rumours circulating in various social media platforms, Nyasa Times has established.

Social media has for the past days been awash with reports  contending that Chakwera went to South Africa where he allegedly pocketed R1 million from Simbi but never declared the amount to his party.

However, Nyasa Times investigations have found out that the story is stemming from some disgruntled elements within the MCP family who think Chakwera is out to finish them politically.

Recently, a bloc of sitting members of parliament who have lost the party’s primary elections, teamed up and agreed to stand as independent candidates in next year’s tripartite elections and have since vowed to be pain in Chakwera’s flesh.

Nyasa Times investigations further reveal that Simbi Phiri is a straightforward businessman who previously set the record straight that he does not operate in shady conduct when he wants to help political parties in many countries provided they pose a request for such.

He is on record to have openly told Malawi media that he previously bankrolled both MCP and the ruling DPP after the two parties made requests.

A senior MCP official who asked not to be names said  the story is being drummed up as a ploy to instigate internal rebellion within the Chakwera-led party.

“The story of R1million has been cooked by some of our disgruntled members. The whole idea is to create a civil war within the party and destabilise it at a time it is focusing on campaigning for the 2019 polls.

“This is both very unfortunate and mischievous. We can choose to differ politically but not reaching an extent of mudslinging and character assassination using the social media,” explained the senior MCP official.

MCP has been in internal squabbles for over a year now since Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya and Gustave Kaliwo launched a barrage of legal battles to block the entry into the party of Sidik Mia and his ascendancy to Vice Presidency of the party.

Coincedentally, most MCP MPs the Speaker worked closely with have had rough ride and lost in recent primaries the party held.

On its part, Khato Civils refused to be drawn into what the company’s spokesperson Taonga Botolo described as “very ridiculous and nonsensical social media gossip.”