Some disgruntled members of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) have given party president Lazarus Chakwera 14 days to convene an emergency convention to facilitate a handover of leadership.
In a letter dated October 8 2025, former Kasungu West legislator Alex Major, who is purportedly backed by 42 district chairpersons, is challenging Chakwera’s right to remain the party’s leader following his defeat in the September 16 General Election presidential race.
He argues that Chakwera’s loss to Democratic Progressive Party candidate Peter Mutharika triggers a constitutional clause requiring a leadership election.
Reads in part the letter: “The crucial condition ‘is if he or she is elected’… Since this condition has not been met, Article 36(6) [of the party’s constitution] comes into effect, requiring that appropriate constitutional steps be taken regarding the office of the party president.”
Major warned that should Chakwera fail to act within a fortnight, the district committees will invoke their constitutional right to call for the convention themselves.
In an interview yesterday, Major said the group has no ill motives, but simply wants to uphold the party’s constitution.
“People are ready to walk to the venue if funding is not adequate,” he said.
Speaking in a separate interview yesterday, MCP Limbe district chairperson Rappozo Phiri said he supported Major’s move, arguing that an emergency convention is important for the party to conduct a post-mortem of what went wrong in the election.
But Zomba di s t r i c t chairperson Ziyad Machemba faulted Major and his supporters, saying: “MCP will go to the convention in 2029 and the party secretary general will communicate about this at an appropriate time. Those chairpersons calling for an emergency convention are just being rebellious.”
MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda yesterday said the party was yet to receive Major’s letter.
“When we receive the letter, we will respond just as we always do when we get such requests from our ordinary members,” he said.
During his concession speech, Chakwera spoke of a transition in a few months, but did not elaborate.
Political Science Association spokesperson Mavuto Bamusi, in an interview yesterday, said the post-election period presents MCP with a ‘potential leadership crisis.
But University of Malawi lecturer in legislative and electoral politics Gift Sambo urged caution, saying that while MCP members have a right to contribute to its development, ultimatums should be invoked in scenarios where the incumbents have violated the party’s constitution.
In a separate interview, political analyst George Chaima believes that some people within the MCP ranks are hungry for power.
