Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has summoned its Mzimba Central Constituency aspirants to a meeting at the party’s headquarters in Lilongwe today, following a dispute over the eligibility of area committee members expected to vote in the primary elections.
The aspirants are Minister of Trade and Industry Vitumbiko Mumba, Presidential Advisor on Rural Transformation Adamson Kuseri Mkandawire, MCP National Executive Committee member Aram Beza and Mtsiriza Ward Councillor Patricia Singini.
Mkandawire and Singini confirmed receiving invitations over the weekend for the meeting, which was initially scheduled for Monday.
I am not the one complaining about the delegates. But whatever decision is made at the meeting, I will follow. I will return to the village and meet the delegates because they are the ones who vote,” Mkandawire said.
Mumba declined to comment on the matter.
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However, in a letter dated April 7, 2025 and addressed to MCP Secretary General Richard Chimwendo Banda, Mumba accused North South Regional Chairman Joseph Chavula of sidelining his team during preparations.
Mumba claimed that Chavula had appointed 13 new areas, disregarding those established by the constituency committee.
MCP Director of Elections Elias Chakwera declined to comment on matters relating to the meeting, referring the issue to Chimwendo Banda.
Efforts to reach Chimwendo Banda were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls or messages.
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Political analyst George Chaima warned that MCP should be cautious about imposing candidates on the electorate, as doing so could foster mistrust within the party.
“This problem has been created by senior party leaders themselves and they are the right people to resolve it. They want their own people in constituencies of their choice and this is a serious issue that requires the president’s intervention,” Chaima said.
The party was expected to hold primary elections in the constituency on April 12, 2025, but these have been postponed to a later date.
Meanwhile, MCP member Lovemore Chauwa is leading two others—Mos Dyce Milanzi and Clement Mwakatundu—who have applied for an injunction to stop the primary elections that the party has been conducting since February 17, 2025.
The three, through their lawyer Clement Mwala, also seek to have the elections that have already been held nullified.
They claim that committees conducting the elections are illegal, as their term of office has expired, making them ineligible for the task.
The High Court sitting in Blantyre is expected to make its ruling on the application on May 9, 2025.
