Tembo opposes North Malawi seceding:  We’re better together

Veteran politician and former Malawi Congress Party (MCP)  president John Tembo   has strongly opposed proposals that northern region should secede from the country and be a standalone country describing such calls as “childish”.

Member of Parliament for former President Joyce Banda’s party, the Peoples Party, Reverend Christopher Mzomera Ngwira is leading the northern region in proposing secession claiming that the northern region has been sidelined in the sharing of the national cake.

Tembo in an interview monitored on Zodiak Broadcasting Corporation said Malawi is better together and  made a direct appeal to people advocating for secession to  think of the real risks of splitting the country.

“Our first President (Kamuzu Banda) always wanted the country to be one Malawi, one Nation. We need to pursue that,” said  Tembo.

The party Tembo led until last year, MCP has also been  calling for Malawi to adopt the federal system of governing the country in which each region will have its own administrative power and report to the central government.

Malawi has three  administrative regions namely south, central and northern region.

But Tembo said  he “ not in favour of those calls for federalism” and adds that “federalism will just bring negative consequences.”

He said; “Those calling for federalism should just come together and see how they can solve their frustrations.”

When asked why some people are calling for federalism in the country, Tembo said “I don’t know, they know why they are doing so”.

Proponents of the federal system of government claim it will help the country to equitably develop as well as fight tribalism and nepotism which they claim have characterised the central government while the proponents of secession say the northern region has been on the sidelines for years.

President Peter Mutharika’s winning and formation of his government opened wounds of mistrust as he is being accused of favouring people from the South in his appointments to the Cabinet and other top government positions.