MCP in election squabbles

Uncertainty surrounds today’s scheduled Central Region elections for Malawi Congress Party (MCP) after incumbent regional chairperson Daniel Mlomo claimed he had obtained a court order stopping the polls.

But MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila yesterday insisted the party was yet to be served with the injunction and it would go ahead with the elections following similar elections in the Southern Region.

The Weekend Nation could not independently verify the claims by Mlomo before we went to press but the claims signal turbulent times ahead in the party’s political hotbed.

But the long-serving party regional chairperson insisted in an interview that he had obtained an injunction and warned that the party would be in contempt of court if it went ahead with the polls.

“The election in the Central Region cannot go ahead without the regional chairperson of the party being informed. Just imagine, I was not even notified as the party planned to hold these elections; this is an ambush. I am the regional chairperson who gave the party a lot of MPs during the last election, why should they try to disturb the party here instead of focusing in areas where it is weak?” said Mlomo.

Quizzed if the move was selfish, undemocratic and fear for defeat, Mlomo retorted: “I am not selfish, I just need the party to recognise that I gave it more MPs and need to be treated as such.”

But Kabwila laughed off Mlomo’s claims, saying the party was levelling the playing ground for all candidates to live to ideals of democracy and wondered why he wanted special treatment.

“We made an announcement several months ago that we will conduct regional elections in all regions. Additionally, the decision was arrived at during a national executive committee meeting which Mr. Mlomo is a part of,” said Kabwila.

Kabwila said the party was pressing ahead with the elections as it “was not served with any injunction” and raised a possibility of counter-legal action, saying “if the injunction is served, the party will take appropriate actions.”

Four people—Lyton Dzombe, Patrick Chilondola, Alex Chitete and Dyson Kaphambe—were expected to attempt to snatch the leadership from Mlomo.