Malawi Congress Party (MCP) members of Parliament (MPs) last night endorsed party pesident Lazarus Chakwera’s appointment of Kasungu South legislator Simplex Chithyola Banda as Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
The decision made during a two and a half hours closed-door caucus at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe ended an impasse resulting from discontent among some MCP MPs over Chakwera’s choice of his former minister of Finance.
MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda, who attended the meeting alongside first deputy president Catherine Gotani Hara, said in an interview that the legislators resolved to rally behind Chakwera.
“We have all agreed to rally behind the president’s appointee and we will all work together with one purpose, that is to make MCP stronger as we are eyeing 2030 [General Election],” he said.
Chithyola Banda, in a separate interview, described his endorsement as a demonstration of unity of purpose and that the erstwhile governing MCP is founded on a strong foundation of loyalty, unity and discipline.
He said: “We are united and disciplined politically. I think that’s the reason why almost everyone came to attend this particular meeting and gave it a go-ahead, a clear indication that every member has endorsed the choice and the appointment.”
On what the public should expect from his leadership, Chithyola Banda said he should not be perceived as a quiet person who cannot speak, adding that he will be speaking from a point of knowledge and on substantive matters.
“We will be speaking on the gaps but also trying to provide alternatives, so we are a responsible opposition that ensures that there is transparency and accountability,” he said.
Sources who attended the meeting said Chimwendo Banda persuaded the MPs to unite behind Chakwera’s choice instead of leaving the announcement to the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“The secretary general also said it was best for the MPs to agree outside the House on the choice than to go to Parliament and start voting,” said the source, an MP.
Another MP corroborated the sentiments and quoted Chimwendo Banda as having stated that he could not challenge Chakwera’s appointment because the country’s immediate-past president let him be Leader of the House for five years.
The MPs also resolved to bury their differences and move forward as a unified bloc and that Chimwendo Banda earlier apologised to MCP legislators who contested as independents after reportedly being frustrated by the system during primary elections.
Comment i ng on the development, political analyst George Chaima said this means that the wrangles between two factions in the party have now come to an end.
In a letter dated October 30 2025 addressed to the Clerk of Parliament, MCP deputy secretary general Gerald Kazembe stated that the party’s parliamentary leadership would only be elected on Saturday, November 1, with a formal communication to follow on Monday, November 3.
Parliamentary Standing Order 35(1) provides that “the Leader of Opposition shall be elected by the party not in government having the numerical strength in Parliament at any point in time and officially announced as such by the Speaker”.
However, the election of the office bearer has in some cases resulted in court battles following infighting within and outside eligible political par t i es. Between 2020 and 2023, the Democratic Progressive Party fell in the same trap and fought to remove Mulanje Central legislator Kondwani Nankhumwa from the post purportedly due to unsatisfactory performance.
On the other hand, in 2009, the whole Parliament took part in the voting of the Leader of Opposition following recommendations from the House’s Legal Affairs Committee. This culminated in the election of Abel Kayembe who upstaged veteran MCP leader John Tembo (now deceased). But Tembo went to court and got the post.
Meanwhile, Chakwera also named Dedza Mulunduni MP Moses Kunkuyu as chief whip with Lilongwe Demera Constituency MP Monica Chang’anamuno as his deputy while Lilongwe Msinja South legislator Francis Belekenyama is the leader of backbenchers and Karonga Town Constituency MP Daniel Chitonya is his deputy.
