Tembo enhancing potential of youth in MCP – Njobvuyalema
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) parliamentarian for Lilongwe Mapuyu South , Joseph Njobvuyalema , says the party’s president John Tembo is striving to promote young blood in its rank and file in abid to rejuvenate it for 2014 elections.
But Njobvuyalema said MCP still needs the existence of longest serving members to ensure smooth transition of power to the youth.
“We have a whole wing of youth throughout the country. We have young people in Central Executive Committee,” said the lawmaker when he was featured in Capital FM’s Straight Talk programme on Thursday.
He said Tembo when he addressed a rally recently at MP Alekeni Menyani’s Dedza Northwest constituency, paraded youthful parliamentarians of MCP including Menyani, Willard Gwengwe, Jolly Kalero and persuaded many young people to take up leading positions in the party.
But he said there should be a balance of youths and the veterans for smooth transition,.
“Those who have been in the party for so long need to be there to ensure proper transition,” he said.
“It’s not just crowding the party with the youth. There should be some institutional memory so that there is proper transition in terms of knowledge and practise,” said Njobvuyalema.
Convention
The oldest political party is scheduled to hold a convention later this year where it will select a president who will also be its torch bearer for the 2014 presidential race.
Njobvuyalema , who is also MCP spokesman on finance in parliament, said the party has opened doors to all youths who wish to get a position to contest at the convention as all positions will be up for grabs.
“All positions will be open and the youths are free to compete,” he said.
But when asked whether he would go for the party presidency, Njobvuyalema said “ It is up to the people to say that. ”
He added: “It is just like what happened in my constituency. I was a civil servant and the people just asked me to contest”.
Current leadership
Commenting on the current leadership of President Joyce Banda, Njobvuyalema said since the president took oath on April 7 there are other things that have improved while others are still not been run properly.
He touched on the issue of insecurity and increase in criminal activities a move which he attributed to the increase of unemployment rate.
The MP cautioned against arbitrary arrests and also advised government to follow procedures and the constitution in her decisions to fire and hire senior government officials to avoid wastage of tax payer’s money through compensations for ‘unlawful’ dismissals.
On the issue of the controversial law which regulates MPs from crossing the floor, Section 65, he strongly opted for its implementation in respect the constitution.
“My position on Section 65 is that it should be implemented, “he said.
Njobvuyalema also told the radio that MCP is “preparing very well for next elections due in 2014.
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