MCP MPs protest primaries

As the race to the May 20 2014 Tripartite Elections heats up, some disgruntled sitting members of Parliament (MPs) within the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) would like to be given a break and represent the party unopposed.

This comes against the background of some sitting MPs in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) going unopposed as a deliberate policy of the party whereas in the ruling People’s Party (PP), there has been lack of interest from its members to challenge sitting MPs, especially in 25 of 66 constituencies in the Central Region.

Some of the MCP MPs met on Friday at the party’s headquarters in Lilongwe to complain that they are working as returning officers and yet they are facing stiff competition in their constituencies.

The MPs were at the MCP offices to ask party president the Reverend Lazarus Chakwera to order that primaries should not be held in their constituencies because of the loyalty they have displayed over the past five years.

A source within the MPs’ camp said: “We have been the face of the party for several years, defending it and advancing party policies in Parliament but the party has not shown its gratefulness.”

Another MP corroborated that there are a lot of issues in MCP made worse with the start of the primaries but its members have been warned against painting a bad picture in the media.

Among the constituencies where MPs do not want primaries held are Lilongwe City South West, Lilongwe City North, Lilongwe Kumachenga, Lilongwe East and Lilongwe Mpenu.

But their requests did not find favour with the MCP national executive committee and primaries in sitting MPs’ constituencies started yesterday with Joseph Njobvuyalema in Lilongwe Mapuyu South amassing 467 votes against 26 votes for Edward Chileka and three votes for Richard Chabuka.

Said Njobvuyalema: “I had to set the pace because I have heard there are some who don’t want primaries held in their constituencies. But after 15 years, I have maintained trust of people and this is a very big achievement.”

Willard Gwengwe’s constituency, Lilongwe South East, is next on the primaries calendar which the party is holding close to its heart.

MCP campaign director Henry Kamata dismissed any talk of disgruntled MPs saying his office had not received any complaints, official or non-official.

“In the first phase, we covered central and lakeshore constituencies where we did not have sitting MPs, in the second phase which has started today [Monday] we are in the same areas and repeating where we had anomalies. We will hold primaries in all sitting MPs constituencies,” Kamata said.

MCP’s deputy publicity secretary Ezekiel Ching’oma said such talk was the result of shadow candidates who are afraid of losing against sitting MPs.