PP convention now in June

Malawi Vice-President Joyce Banda’s People’s Party (PP) is set to conduct its first national convention in June and not August as earlier arranged.

The party said on Thursday that all positions, including that of president, will be up for grabs at the convention.

PP deputy publicity secretary John Chikalimba said in an interview at the party’s headquarters that the idea to shift the convention to June was arrived at after considering the tenure of office of those to be elected.

However, Chikalimba said the party would be deciding on the exact date and venue and other logistics for the convention soon.

“Our initial plan in 2011 was to hold a convention in August this year, but considering the tenure of office for the NEC [national executive committee] members, we have shifted the convention to June unless something comes up to change things,” he said.

Chikalimba said the June convention will not elect a presidential candidate in readiness for the general elections in 2014, saying another meeting would be convened next year for that purpose.

He said only people who are members of the party would be allowed to contest positions at the convention. He said people were free to challenge the founding leader, Banda, for the position of president.

“If you look at the name of the party, it is called People’s Party because it belongs to the people. The Vice-President was asked by people to start the party and she did that on behalf of those people.

“As of now, people have already started showing interest for various positions, but most of them are happy with the positions they are holding. But it should be stated here that it is not automatic that because I am deputy publicity secretary, then I will be elected to the same position,” he said.

The Vice-President said during a news conference in August last year that the interim NEC had resolved to hold the convention in August this year.