MCP appeals to PAC on federal govt

The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has appealed to the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) to support its calls for a federal system of government which they claim would bring equity in service delivery in the country.

The bone of contention for MCP has been the appointment of the Cabinet which they claim has 16 of the 20 ministers from the Southern Region, 12 of whom are from the Lhomwe tribe which President Peter Mutharika belongs to.

An MCP delegation led by its president Lazarus Chakwera met officials from PAC who called the meeting on Tuesday to appreciate the role the party played prior to the May 20 Tripartite Elections.

MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila told the media after the meeting that the results of the elections in which Mutharika was elected president with 36 percent votes seconded by the MCP candidate Chakwera had compounded the need for a federal system of government.

But political analyst Henry Chingaipe said arguments for a federal system of government based on inequities in service and development were weak because Malawi’s territory was too small to be divided into several sections.

Said Chingaipe: “There is no strong case for a federal system. The problem can be dealt with in the current system by changing the law and policies to provide for equitable access.”

But PAC vice-chairperson Sheikh Salmin Omar said attempts to bring the four main presidential candidates to the table were thwarted by various court cases.