Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Alex Major has asked the party’s leadership to call an emergency convention to elect leaders and warned against amending the party constitution to extend president Lazarus Chakwera’s tenure.
In a statement on behalf of his faction, he said changing the party’s constitution to benefit one individual would undermine its democratic principles and insisted that the next convention should allow an open contest for the presidency.
Major’s remarks are the latest twist in an internal succession battle that has intensified since MCP lost the September 16 2025 General Election.
While one camp wants Chakwera to remain party president despite serving his constitutional two terms, Major’s faction has previously challenged Chakwera’s continued stay and called for an emergency convention.
His call comes against a background of the MCP national executive committee (NEC) resolution to retain Chakwera after the election defeat.
In an interview yesterday, MCP deputy regional chairperson for the South Dennis Nathumba said Chakwera would not be the first leader to seek changes to the party constitution, recalling that the late John Tembo’s attempt to secure a third term in 2013 was rejected by convention delegates.
He described Chakwera’s reported intention to contest again in 2030 as unconstitutional and contrary to the party’s constitution.
University of Malawi associate professor of political science Boniface Dulani said in an interview that the debate is ultimately about adherence to the party’s constitution.
He said: “Term limits were introduced to prevent dictatorship and to refresh leadership.
“If Chakwera’s terms have expired, the democratic thing would be for him to step aside and allow others to build on what he has done.”
Dulani said MCP should also conduct fresh district and regional elections to strengthen internal democracy.
Another political analyst George Chaima described Major’s challenge as significant, but said Chakwera still controls the party machinery by virtue of remaining party president.
MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda declined to comment when contacted yesterday.
The High Court of Malawi recently ordered MCP to hold district and regional committee elections within 12 months, a ruling that could reshape the composition of delegates eligible to vote at a future convention.
