Mkaka under fire over memo gagging committees
Senior regional leaders of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) have faulted secretary general (SG) Eisenhower Mkaka for trying to stop regional committees from filling vacant positions ahead of the party’s elective convention set for August this year.
For example, MCP Central Region chairperson Patrick Zebron Chilondola faulted Mkaka on the matter.
He said: “Check Article 25, it is clear that as regions, we can fill the vacancies. All what the constitution says is that when we have filled, the NEC [National Executive Committee] only recognises the names. So, it is not true that such orders come from the NEC, no!”
Through a communiqué to regional chairpersons dated April 16 2024, Mkaka has ordered that filling of vacancies at regional level should be sanctioned by his office.
Reads the communiqué in part: “Delegates to the forthcoming convention are only those in your records as of the date of my memo dated April 8 2024.
“Should there be vacancies in the regional committees, my office will sanction filling of the same in accordance with the constitution.”
Mkaka has cited Article 22 of the MCP constitution, which states that when a seat becomes vacant, “the vacancy shall be filled by the holding of a by-election.”
“Such a by-election shall be held in such a manner and at such a time as may be directed by the next higher committee of the party [district committee, or the regional committee in case of a vacancy in the district committee].”
The memo comes days after the party’s North-South Regionchairperson Joseph Chavula filled some vacancies last Friday and communicated the same to Mkaka’s office.
In an interview yesterday, Chavula said they had followed the party’s constitutional provisions when filling the vacancies.
He said: “We stand to be challenged, but we believe that we followed the dictates of our constitution. Article 25 (6) of the MCP constitution is clear on that.
“The power was given to those elected to fill the vacancies in 2016. But I will write to the SG, responding accordingly with respect to his office.”
On his part, regional chairperson for South Peter Simbi said tradition has been that the regional committee sits and fills the vacant position, and informs the NEC of the process and outcome of the same.
In an interview yesterday, private practice lawyer Gladwell Majekete said the SG has no constitutional mandate to issue such orders, arguing, MCP is being challenged by its own success, as incumbents fear newcomers.
The move comes after MCP also barred some members from contesting for NEC positions at its coming convention if they have not been members for at least two years.
MCP is set to hold its elective convention from August 10 to 12 this year.
