Malawi Congress Party (MCP) first vice-president Richard Msowoya on Saturday welcomed the party’s Shire Valley new catch Sidik Mia in what appeared to be a move aimed at clearing speculation that he was against Mia joining the party.
Msowoya and some other MCP officials were apparently against their leader Lazarus Chakwera’s decision to accept Mia into the party without following proper procedures.
But during a political rally, which the three held at Nkhotakota Old Airdrome, Msowoya, who is also Speaker of Parliament, said he was welcoming everyone joining MCP—led by Mia, who spoke before him.
“I have my deep respect for all those that are joining our party, led by Honourable Sidik Mia. It simply shows that they have confidence in our party,” Msowoya said.
Without necessarily repositioning himself for the MCP’s running mate spot, Msowoya intimated that Malawians should ensure that the leadership that comes after the 2019 Tripartite Elections should be willing to end corruption and poverty.
The MCP vice-president further alleged that there is a cartel in the country that is holding taxpayers’ money in their pockets “while people are suffering”.
Taking his turn, Mia described Msowoya as ‘his good friend’.
He also defended the remarks he made at his welcoming rally in Chikwawa a fortnight ago, where he apparently ‘downgraded’ the MCP vice-president.
“Msowoya is my friend. He is Speaker of Parliament. Of course, I have respect for him in that capacity, but elsewhere, he is my friend, my good friend,” Mia said.
Without directly tackling the divisions that Mia’s coming into MCP has apparently caused, Chakwera said his party must concentrate on rebuilding itself and that everyone must be welcome to join it.
“There are some people who left the party but are returning now. They are like the biblical prodigal son. We need to embrace them because it means they have renewed their confidence in the party. We should embrace ‘one Malawi, one nation, and one vision’,” he said.
Observers say the coming together of Chakwera, Msowoya and Mia at one political rally was, obviously, devised to kill speculation that there are divisions in the party.
Conspicuously missing at the rally were the party’s secretary-general Gustave Kaliwo and outspoken Salima North-West legislator Jessie Kabwila, who were part of the rally Msowoya held in Mzimba last week. n
