Debate has ensued in the ranks and files of the governing Malawi Congress Party-MCP following Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka’s directive restricting the party members meetings with President Lazarus Chakwera.
Some members question Mkaka’s powers, why the directive targets MCP members only and how other Tonse Alliance members will be meeting Chakwera.
In an internal memo dated 10th March 2022, Mkaka tells the party’s National Executive Committee and non-members how to have access to the president.
“I would like to kindly inform all NEC members that in terms of acceptable protocol, all requests to meet His Excellency the State President must be through my office for orderly arrangements and to avoid unnecessary duplications,” reads the memo.
Spokesperson for MCP’s Concerned Members, Alex Major, describes the memo as mediocrity at its best; arguing the secretary general has no constitutional mandate to bring a policy without consulting district chairmen.
“This memo shows that the President has no interest with the party hence he may wish to resign as the President. This type of protocol is as a result of failure in leadership and not otherwise,” fumes Major.
Major explains that the President and Mkaka are acting outside their mandate; saying MCP NEC has a higher authority than the two.
Adds Major: “Dr. Kamuzu Banda, the Ngwazi and Dr. Chakwera both have doubled as Presidents of the party and the country but Kamuzu never did this nonsense.”
Meanwhile, MCP spokesperson Maurice Munthali is yet to comment on the development.
