Young pastors query MCP on eligibility criteria
The Young Pastors Network has joined critics faulting the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for its policy barring new members and those without leadership experience from seeking plum positions at the forthcoming elective convention.
The network said this in a statement issued yesterday and co-signed by secretary general Pastor Webster Kameme, president Pastor Tusafye Mbeye, vice-president Pastor Pauline Daniel and coordinator Pastor Paul Yesani.
The pastors said they resorted to issuing the statement after their efforts to meet the MCP leadership failed.
Reads the statement: “This has left us with no option, but to speak out; hence, this press statement.”
In February this year, the MCP leadership approved the new eligibility requirements for its national executive committee (NEC) positions ahead of this August elective conference.
The requirements are that NEC aspiring candidates must have been party members for at least two years and held a position at any level.
But the network said leadership positions are elected by delegates during a convention and should be open to aspirants.
The network has asked the MCP leadership to rescind the NEC resolution.
MCP spokesperson Ezekiel Ching’oma did not immediately respond to our questionnaire, but the party has previously defended the move as crucial to ensuring sanity.
Critics of the requirements include the legal and political analysts as well as faith-based institutions.
Earlier this week, United Democratic Front also announced that in line with its articles, aspirants for the positions of president, vice-president, secretary general and deputy should be those who have been party members for at least five years.
