MCP to remain in opposition—MPs

MCP will remain in opposition and only support government when it brings good policies in tandem with wishes of Malawians, the party’s parliamentarians have resolved.

The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) MPs held a caucus on Monday evening at the residence of its president John Tembo in Area 10 in Lilongwe where they said any meetings or dealings between their leader and President Joyce Banda are more at personal than party level.

MCP deputy chief whip in Parliament Lingson Belekanyama confirmed the caucus, but said the resolutions were nothing strange as the party is already in opposition and will maintain its status to strengthen the country’s democracy.

Three senior party officials who attended the meeting described it as “militant” as it disowned Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Racheal Mazombwe Zulu and any bilateral meetings between Tembo and President  Banda.

The caucus said Banda’s People’s Party (PP) lacked courtesy by poaching from MCP, when the party had written to the new ruling block offering its cooperation which was ignored.

Said another senior MP: “We refused the idea of working with People’s Party as those doing that from our party are advancing personal agendas. We also admonished those that chased Honourable Henry Phoya and that we will remain in opposition and not follow any individual.”

The caucus ran from 4pm to 8pm and it was attended by almost all of the party’s 29 parliamentarians.