MCP’s NEC elegibility resolution censured

Malawi Congress Party (MCP), a key partner in the governing Tonse Alliance, has come under fire for a resolution limiting eligibility to its national executive committee (NEC) to members that have served for at least two years.

Political and legal critics have described the resolution made at the MCP NEC meeting in Lilongwe on Wednesday as an abuse of power calculated to protect the incumbent leaders’ interests. They warned the move would hurt potential leadership talent.

According to an inside source, the resolution was made at the meeting where President Lazarus Chakwera, who also leads the party, was in attendance.

The source, who only agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, said: “A motion was moved and seconded and NEC adopted.”

When asked to shed light on the resolution, the party’s national publicity secretary Ezekiel Ching’oma said: “We are meeting as management to produce a communique on the same.”

As we went to press at 9pm, the statement had not been issued.

In his take, private practice lawyer Gladson Majekete said it would be unfortunate if the NEC’s resolution will not undergo the scrutiny of the convention before it becomes effective.

He said in an interview yesterday: “Sometimes these leaders abuse their discretion. They think they are NEC and can do whatever they want. They forget that they work within limits and the limit is their same constitution.

“For a matter as crucial as this one, I would rather leave it to their convention to decide how to qualify the newcomers.”

Article 32 of the MCP constitution says NEC “shall make rules and regulations for the purpose of, but without limiting to, the foregoing: Providing for the control, management and regulation of regions, districts, constituencies, wards, areas and local branches…

“Providing for all matters which by this constitution, are required or permitted to be prescribed or which, in the opinion of the National Executive Committee, are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the provisions of this Constitution.”

University of Malawi law professor Garton Kamchezera said the NEC was acting within the law.

“Under the MCP constitution, the national executive committee has vast powers to manage and control the party, including making rules. The setting of requirements for entry into NEC position is something they can do under their constitution,” he said.

Meanwhile, former MCP legislator for Kasungu West Alex Major, a critic of the party’s current leadership, said although he supports confining the NEC aspirants to such requirements, the resolution has to be tabled at the upcoming elective convention scheduled for this August.

Political and governance analyst Peter Chinoko said the resolution has both positives and negatives.

He said: “It sends a clear message to the political prostitutes that a position in NEC should be earned by members who have been loyal to the party.

“Secondly, NEC is the highest organ of the political party in terms of decision-making processes as well as policy. To give space in NEC to members who have just joined the party may compromise the confidentiality of the party. One may join as a kazitape (spy) and a few months later is out.

“Thirdly, if there must be order in the party, NEC must comprise members who have shown total loyalty to the party.”

During the NEC meeting, MCP also endorsed Chakwera as the party’s torchbearer in the September 16 2025 General Election.