Q & A

‘MCP relevant to Malawi politics’

The High Court recently reinstated Malawi Congress Party’s secretary general Chris Daza back to his position after the party’s national executive committee (NEC) suspended him in January. Is his comeback adding any value to MCP? Is there any hope for the party in 2014? Ephraim Nyondo finds out.

Q: The Court recently reinstated you to the position of the party’s secretary general after that National Executive Committee (NEC) suspension in January this year. Do you feel accepted or not in the party?

A: It is a mixture of acceptance and rejection. The majority have, because that is what they expected anyway. They knew that my suspension was unconstitutional and unfair. It was these that rejoiced that justice has prevailed. There is just a few people, I mean very few or rather a handful, who are not happy and these are those that make noise, some underground and others in the media. For their own private agendas, they do not want me near the leadership of the party. I, however, forgive them for torturing and marginalising me this way, I pledge to work with them should the Almighty give me the opportunity to lead the party one day. I recognise them as my fellow leaders and really appreciate what they have done for years to make the party what it is today.

Q: Have you, since the reinstatement, attended any NEC meeting?

A: I am not aware of any NEC meeting that has been called since the judgement came through. If there has been any NEC meeting, then I was not advised. In any case, NEC meetings are called through my office after consultations with my president.

Q: How often do you meet Honourable John Tembo, the party’s president?

A: Ideally, my president and I should be meeting on a frequent basis as we see fitting, at least a week should not elapse before we meet. However, considering the issues that have transpired in the past year, it has been difficult to meet. I am, however, very optimistic that we will soon sit and iron out all the differences that we have encountered this far.

Q: What do you think sets you apart from other politicians in the party that makes you think you are the right person to lead the party?

A: To say there is something that sets me apart from other politicians in the party would not be quite correct because as you can imagine, each of the aspirants considers themselves special or qualified to lead the party. I think I can only point out why I feel I am qualified to contest at the convention. First, as aspirant in 1999, when later was campaign manager for the then MCP president, I then spent my years abroad working and studying. I got a Master’s degree in leadership and a PhD. Later, on November 1 2008, I became its SG, at a national convention, and doubled as shadow MP for Ntcheu Central.

I have since travelled across this country visiting our party structures using my own personal resources; others have not had this opportunity. In terms of exposure as to how parties and governments are run, I have travelled around the world and studied most of those years, at least 10 years. I am in touch with the entire spectrum of the party across the country and I know it physically plus all the committees, implying that I know the party from Nsanje to Chitipa including the Likoma Island.

Q:People’s Party (PP) held its national convention, so too has United Democratic Front (UDF). The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says it will have it in December. But there is no word on the same from your party. What is the meaning of this silence?

A: Good question indeed. You will recall that when I received a petition from the districts last year, I proposed to my president and the NEC that, since the required number of the district committees has been achieved, the best option would be to call an emergency convention, but this was shot down. I am confident we will follow the wishes of the people at grass roots, who are calling for a convention all over the country. I really hope that our NEC will follow all the constitutional procedures to call for a convention at the earliest convenience as the people have requested.

Q: Over the years, we have seen MCP’s representation in Parliament dropping. At the same time, we have also seen MCP not only failing to win more votes in the Southern and Northern regions, but also losing tremendously in its base, the Central Region. How do you explain this trend?

A: First of all, it is not a good trend at all. However, if you begin to lose in your home ground, all things being equal, then there is a problem that needs immediate attention. This could range from our inability to change with the changing times, an election being rigged or that people are disgruntled with our leadership. Being the oldest party in the country, it may also mean we need to adapt quickly to the contemporary culture in order to remain relevant in today’s politics.  A failure to do this may have rendered us irrelevant. Obviously, more soul-searching needs be taken by the party at all structures in order to get down to the bottom of this and come out with solutions to our dwindling numbers of our legislators.

Q: What is your vision for MCP? Where do you want to take it?

A: Firstly, I know that MCP is so relevant to the politics of Malawi. I still believe in the vision and the philosophy as well as the ideology of the father and founder of the nation of Malawi, which has been derailed for the period we have been out of government. I think though that it is high time the new wine were contained in the new wine skin with the help of the old. Put it another way, we need to recast our vision as the party using the contemporary set up without departing from our party philosophy and ideology. We need to rebrand, re-envision, enthuse and re-unite Malawi. Given a chance to lead, I would ensure that the mighty MCP becomes totally relevant to the politics and economics of our day. I would ensure that it becomes attractive and relevant for the Malawi of today. Everyone knows what Malawi must look like or at least where we should be going. I will ensure that it is the party of the people, run by the people and sustained by the people. I would ensure that MCP provides the solutions to the issues facing the average Malawian on the street by putting our nation back on track to full recovery. I must emphasise that this will only be possible when we will work together as a team, not an individual show. And I must emphasise that we will need the participation of the old and new, the young and the ageing.

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