Chilumpha attacks MCP, MEC
Former vice-president Cassim Chilumpha has taken a swipe at the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for failure to help out cleansing the current socio-economic mess the country is experiencing.
Chilumpha, who leads the newly-formed political party, Assembly for Development and Democracy (ADD), said while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is presiding over the current mess, MCP, too, must bear the liability.
The former VP has also questioned the composition of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), saying it does not inspire confidence that it can conduct free and fair elections.
Chilumpha made the accusation in a presentation he made Wednesday, during an interface meeting 15 opposition political parties had with the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) in Blantyre.
In his paper titled ‘The need for new socio-economic midwifery in Malawi: A call by opposition political parties to Public Affairs Committee’, the former vice-president observed that the current political landscape was dominated by MCP and DPP; hence, the main opposition should accept it has failed to undertake its role.
But MCP has hit back, saying it was regretful that the former vice-president could blame the party, instead of the DPP, for the mess.
Said Chilumpha in his paper: “Both parties [DPP and MCP] are in Parliament and essentially shoulder responsibility for legislative failure to clean up the mess.
“And, in this respect, it should be noted that although the DPP is the ruling political party, MCP effectively controls Parliament through the Speaker [Richard Msowoya] who until a month ago was the vice-president of MCP.”
The opposition political parties, including the MCP and People’s Party (PP) came up with a forum whose current chair is George Nnesa, president of Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (Mafunde), to be working together in addressing some of the socio-economic challenges the country is facing.
However, MCP allegedly withdrew from the group and it was also not represented during the Wednesday meeting with PAC, in which former president and leader of People’s Party (PP) Joyce Banda was in attendance.
MCP publicity secretary Reverend Maurice Munthali, in an interview on Thursday, said contrary to Chilumpha’s accusation, people who have been keenly following the party would agree that it has effectively played its role “only that the ruling regime does not listen”.
“What MCP has been doing in Parliament, one would appreciate it has not only pointed out the weaknesses of government and the ruling party, but also offered alternatives and solutions to the ills that are perpetrated by the ruling regimes. There has been no moment where MCP has criticised government without offering solutions,” said Munthali.
He emphasised that Chilumpha should put his blame on the ruling party, and not on MCP.
Commenting on the development, political scientist Ernest Thindwa noted Chilumpha’s sentiments was not surprising considering that when politicians approach general elections they sell themselves by painting a bad image of competitors.
“But, in my view, it is a lame excuse to blame MCP for the mess just because the Speaker was its vice-president. Parliament is not just about MCP, it is about all the parties, so it is unfair to apportion the blame to MCP only,” he said.
On his part, University of Livingstonia political scientist George Phiri observed that legislative failure must be for all parties represented in Parliament, including independent legislators and not MCP alone.
Chilumpha faulted MEC because a majority of the commissioners were from the DPP and its alliance with United Democratic Front (UDF).
“Moreover, the chairperson of the commission is not only a DPP nominee, but has previously served as a member of the DPP government in the position of Attorney General. Not surprising, in its survey, the Afrobarometer found that two-thirds of Malawians polled do not trust MEC,” said Chilumpha.
But in his reaction, MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa argued that the commission retains the confidence of stakeholders and the current commission was appointed in accordance with provision of the electoral laws.
