By Cathy Maulidi:
Governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) delegates Thursday endorsed State President Lazarus Chakwera as party leader after he went unopposed.
This means he is poised to represent the party as presidential candidate in the September 16 2025 election.
And, as party leader, he was the first delegate to cast a vote for his preferred position holders.
The voting occurred immediately after, as per MCP constitution, the party’s National Executive Committee (Nec) had been dissolved, meaning that save for Chakwera, the rest of the delegates—including Nec former members— voted as mere party members.
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But Chakwera was not the only one who did not face the pressure of shrugging off competition; Madalitso Kazombo could count himself lucky for not facing a litmus test at the elections.
And, as such, he became the party’s director of recruitment even before results of the elections were announced earlier this morning.
No wonder, he was seen smiling from ear to ear.
By mid-night—the time we went to press— delegates were still exercising their power by voting for their preferred candidates.
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The positions they sought to fill were 18, including those for deputy president, secretary general and directors.
As such, there were 18 ballot boxes in front of the delegates.
Visibly tired but eager to cast their votes, they patiently waited for their turn.
As delegates waited for their turn, some candidates were making political turns, too, notably Moses Kunkuyu.
Kunkuyu told The Daily Times close to mid-night that he was contesting on the positions of director of campaign as well as that of vice president.
“I presented my name for both positions, just like others were at liberty to do. And, as you have seen, no voter has picked any issue because they know that this is very normal.
“One example; check on women director aspirants and religious affairs [position aspirants]—you will find names that appear on both [positions],” Kunkuyu said.
Asked what would happen if he won both positions, Kunkuyu said: “Rules of elections will apply, where you chose one and drop the other.”
For one to know that their turn to vote was up, returning officers from the Malawi Electoral Commission—who were administering the elections—were calling a delegate’s name.
At that moment, one would trudge to the front, cast votes and head for the outside of the convention hall, where a light meal had been waiting since late afternoon.
With the business at hand, who would have forsaken their right to vote for the sake of one hot cup of tea or coffee and snack?
Such was the determination of the delegates that it was not surprising to see hordes of delegates waiting for their turn to vote—even when food, now cold due to the consistent beating of outside winds, had been ‘waiting’ for them for hours.
Positions that sparked great interest from delegates were those of deputy president and secretary general.
On the position of deputy president, there was Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, Catherine Gotani Hara, Vitumbiko Mumba and Kezzie Msukwa.
On that of secretary general, Richard Chimwendo Banda, Simplex Chithyola Banda, Eisenhower Mkaka, Chris Chaima Banda, Chatinkha Chidzanja Nkhoma, Alex Major and Dyson Kamphambe contested.
Apparently desperate, some candidates were seen talking to delegates, a practice convention chairperson Kezzie Msukwa condemned.
“Please candidates, this is no longer campaign time,” he said, asserting his authority.
