The out-going Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President John Tembo has called on the party members to continue being united and observe the party’s four cornerstones to ensure that MCP remains strong and have the chance of coming back into government next year.
Speaking during the opening of the party’s convention in Lilongwe, Tembo also challenged that although the MCP has gone through a lot of challenges it is not yet ready to give up.
He, however, said it is only by upholding the values and four cornerstones of the party of Unity, Discipline, Obedience and Loyalty as propagated by the party’s founding President the late Hastings Kamuzu Banda, that the party can successfully move forward and reclaim its glory.
In his close to two hours speech Tembo dwelled much on paying tribute to Kamuzu Banda and other leaders who he said ensured that the party remained true to its values and spearheaded development in the country.
“Ngwazi taught us values and four cornerstones and for the party to prosper there is need for dedication, perseverance and endurance which is a reflection of the journey that the party has travelled. There are a lot of people who have travelled with the party with some of them facing arrests along the way,” said Tembo.
He also commended some of the leaders who are still in the party for their perseverance, resilient, dedication and endurance to ensure that the party remains strong despite going through hard times in the last twenty years since the party went out of government in 1994.
He added: “MCP is one and we are gathered here as one and as one political party we must move forward. Those to be elected today must keep the party, this is not for only the president but all those to be elected in different positions.”
Among several businesses during the convention was the election of new office bearers including the party President who is also expected to lead the party during next year’s elections.
Tembo, who was among the presidential candidates, called on all the elected leaders to ensure that they continue from where the party is and take it to a new level.
“To be a leader in the party is not a joke. To you delegates, those people who have sent you here are expecting serious and mature resolution to come out of this meeting,” he said.
Before he started his prepared speech Tembo introduced individually all the candidates for the presidency with only one of them Nkhotakota Central MP Edwin Banda missing from the list thereby reducing the number of the aspirants to 11.
The contestants present in the hall included Secretary General Chris Daza, former Malawi Assemblies of God president Lazarus Chakwera; retired Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo; former Cabinet Minister Jodder Kanjere; former secretary general Betson Majoni; MPs Joseph Njobvuyalema (Lilongwe Mapuyu South); Watson Makala-Ngozo (Lilongwe Mpenu); former director of political affairs Eston Kakhome; former President of Farmers Union of Malawi Felix Jumbe; and former MP Lytton Dzombe.
Tembo then went ahead to subtly advise the delegates to elect leaders who have been loyal and dedicated members of the party saying that it was surprising that some of the candidates have just emerged when the party is going into the elections.
“Late Kamphulusa once said that ‘unali kuti bongololo kuti lero utuluke? Anthu a kumidzi bongololo amamudziwa’ (where were you millipede that you should come out now? People from the villages know who the millipede is),” he said.
Tembo said it was his hope that all the candidates who emerged during the campaign will still be there even after the election and continue working for the party.
He also said that as much as the party needs youths and also that there was a lot of enthusiasm amongst the youth to take up leadership positions, it is still important that the party should not do away with the old guards and they are there to provide guidance and wisdom in the party.
“We have youths here and although they are not many they are very important to the party. Some of us started politics at a tender age but we had to learn from the elders. The dynamics of organisational change depend on how you integrate the old and the new experience, knowledge and wisdom,” said Tembo.
He said that even at its inception the MCP had youthful leaders such as Kanyama Chiume and Henry Chipembere but hinted that these were well educated youths who had graduated from prestigious world universities of those days.
Tembo, however, said for those who are now old and have worked for the party for a long time were free to retire.
“Some of you might wish to follow me into retiring,” he said.
Tembo then told the delegates that although he was among the candidates he already made a choice to retire and offered not to be among the contestants but that it was the party’s national executive committee (Nec) that forced him to seek a re-election.
He told the delegates that the choice of leaders should reflect all that the MCP stands for but said it was important that character of the party which is unity should remain after the convention.
“This is a party for the people and no one should claim ownership of the MCP, it is not a party for one person. This party was Ngwazi’s party. We must seek leadership which would be true to the party and no other organisation but the MCP,” he said.
Tembo also said that leaders of the party should also reflect the aspiration of the whole nation and not only for the MCP.
“We need leaders who are also true and selfless to the country. Our choices today should be in tandem with both what other parties are doing and what government is doing,” he added.
Sounding like giving a farewell speech while maintaining that he is among the candidates for the presidency, Tembo went on to chronicle his ten years at the helm of the party saying that during those years he has suffered along the party which he said at one time saw its assets being deprived.
“As a party we have been deprived of our right on the way, we have been denied access to some of the public amenities. MCP has suffered a lot but this is the first party in Malawi, this is the party that fought for the country’s independence and will never give up,” he said.
Tembo said he has enjoyed being president of the MCP although at times he has been sad to see some people working hard to destroy the party.
During his speech Tembo, who is never short of surprises, also explained his experiences with the party’s Secretary General Daza, who he said at one time was up in arms against him only to come back to apologise and also the incident where he is said to have declined money from Reverend Chakwera.
Tembo also introduced MPs Theresa Mwale (Mchinji west) and Christina Chiwoko (Lilongwe Mapuyu north) as new members of the party.
Among renowned guests to the convention included British High Commissioner Michael Nevin, Chinese Ambassador Pan Hejun, Press Corporation Limited Chief Executive Officer Mathews Chikaonda, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Publicity Secretary Nicholas Dausi and United Democratic Front (UDF) Secretary General Kandi Padambo.
The ruling People’s Party (PP) acting Secretary General Paul Maulidi sent a congratulatory message which was read by the Director of Ceremony Jean Sendeza, who is also MP for Lilongwe south west.
