Squabbles widen in MCP leadership

A fierce wrangle over leadership of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in the Southern Region rages on, with district chairpersons in the province rejecting last week’s election of Eston Kakhome to replace regional chairperson Dennis Nanthumba.

Speaking at a news conference held at the party’s regional offices in Blantyre on Wednesday, all district chairpersons from the Southern Region, except Thyolo, vowed not to recognise Kakhome and his committee.

The divisions in the MCP Southern Region followed the emergence of a faction calling itself ‘Concerned members of MCP’, which elected new office bearers last week.

The faction accuses Nanthumba of overstaying in office and abusing party funds; hence, the need to replace him.

The grouping’s spokesperson Frank Bauleni told the media last Thursday that the leadership of Nanthumba is hopeless as it has failed to produce “not even a single member of Parliament [MP] for the past 20 years”.

Bauleni said members had, therefore, resolved to hold elections to usher in a new committee that would run the affairs of the party for the next three years.

And despite the party’s national executive committee (NEC) disowning the grouping, the elections held on Saturday at the party’s regional offices in Blantyre ushered in Kakhome.

Other committee members elected on the day included Phalombe district chairperson Rodrick Katawala who reportedly won the regional vice- chairperson position, Peter Khofi (secretary) and Frank Bauleni who got the publicity secretary’s seat.

But the Nanthumba faction has described the “new committee as a grouping of party rejects on a mission to cause confusion in the party”.

The chairpersons, including Katawala who is said to be Kakhome’s deputy, said they are aware of “the people sponsoring these people to cause confusion in the party”.

Other notable members at the briefing included Rose Dinala and Samuel Kaphuka.

Said chairperson for Chikwawa Amos Chanza: “Our regional chairperson remains Nanthumba because the party has not held elections meant to change the leadership. Of course, we are aware that those people [the Kakhome faction] are thirsting to join the party because of its popularity. We will welcome them as long as they don’t cause confusion.”

Katawala denied being part of the faction, saying he just learned about the election through the media.

He said he does not support what “Kakhome and company” did although he was given a senior position.

He empasised: “I’m not party to those confusionists. I was elected in absentia; and, that is very wrong.”

Nanthumba’s deputy, Geoffrey Chikumbanje, declared the elections null and void on the basis that they were not sanctioned and approved by the party secretariat.

Chikumbanje said the party’s constitution clearly states that it is only the party NEC, which has the mandate to preside over the election of the regional committee.

“These people have violated the constitution of the party by holding elections without the knowledge of the NEC. The elections are, therefore, null and void,” he explained.

But Kakhome insisted in a telephone interview on Wednesday that NEC gave the grouping a blessing to hold the disputed elections.

He said: “I’m, therefore, the only legitimate regional chairperson for the South. But I do understand the Nanthumba faction because in every election, there are people who are disgruntled. Those are disgruntled because they didn’t secure any position.”