The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) says it welcomes the bid by former Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) president Felix Jumbe to vie for the party’s presidency.
Joseph Njobvuyalema, chairperson of the organising committee for the MCP convention, said in an interview yesterday Jumbe is a bona fide member of the party, hence free to stand for any position, including that of president.
The MCP convention is scheduled to take place later this year at the Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe.
Said Njobvuyalema: “He is welcome to contest and if he has not collected his forms he should do so now because it is his democratic right. He has been conducting underground campaigns and it is not surprising that he has now come out in the open.”
Jumbe’s declaration brings to four the aspirants for the MCP presidency. The others being Assemblies of Malawi president the Reverend Dr Lazarus Chakwera, Nkhotakota Central Member of Parliament (MP) Edwin Banda and controversial incumbent secretary general Chris Daza.
Announcing his resignation as FUM president on Wednesday evening in Lilongwe, Jumbe said he wants to serve farmers from another platform as a politician; hence, the launch of his political career which will see him vie for the opposition MCP president.
He said apart from contesting for the presidency, he will also vie for the parliamentary seat in Salima Central Constituency.
Said Jumbe: “I want to lead through practical examples because Malawi can only develop through production. As an agro based economy, we need to motivate farmers and having been president of FUM for three years, it will be easy for me to convince the farmers on what to do.”
He said the country lost track in 1994 when it started following poverty alleviation policies instead of concentrating on wealth creation.
