Chakwera, others lobby for convention votes

A Malawi Congress Party (MCP) team led by its president Lazarus Chakwera at Robin’s Park in Blantyre esterday lobbied for votes from Southern Region delegates at the party’s convention next month.

After attending a church service at Kanjedza Malawi Assemblies of God in the morning, Chakwera headed to Robin’s Park where, together with Mohammed Sidik Mia and Eisenhower Mkaka, the party’s deputy secretary general, he met delegates who had assembled in the auditorium.

The director of ceremonies, MCP’s Southern Region publicity secretary Blessings Chilemba announced positions that are up for grabs at the convention, followed by aspirants’ brief speeches.

In an interview on the sidelines of the event, Southern Region chairperson Peter Simbi said Chakwera had come to remind the delegates that time for the convention was drawing near.

“He said we should be prepared for the convention and encouraged aspirants to contest for various positions,” said Simbi.

Another official, who opted for anonymity, said Chakwera had declared his interest to contest for the position of president.

The official quoted Chakwera as having said: “I have not come as a president of MCP but as an aspiring candidate. I would like to ask you to vote for me at the convention.”

On his part Sidik Mia told the delegates that he would contest for the position of vice-president, our source said.

Other aspirants included University of Malawi’s Chancellor College (Chanco) MCP wing president Emmanuel Mwanyongo who expressed interest to stand for the position of deputy director of public relations while Mkaka and the Reverend Maurice Munthali both expressed interest to contest for the position of secretary general.

According to inside sources, from Blantyre Chakwera will next meet delegates from the Centre in Lilongwe and finally those from the Eastern Region in Zomba. n