Opinion: Richard Chimwendo Banda brings real battle in MCP’s Secretary General contest
“It’s fake”.
That was the immediate reaction of many people, including myself, when rumors’ and flyers swirled through social media last week, alleging that Richard Chimwendo Banda, Director of Youth (DOY) for the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP), declared his interest to contest for the position of Secretary General (SG) at the party’s forthcoming 2024 elective convention, scheduled for 8th to 10th August in Lilongwe.
Why that reaction?
Until early July, only Simplex Chithyola Banda, Eisenhower Mkaka and Chaima Banda were known to be the main contenders for MCP’s SG position.
There was hardly any expectation that someone like Chimwendo Banda would also join the race for MCP’s SG, especially now, very close to the convention’s dates. Chimwendo Banda, all along, was thought to be seeking to maintain his DOY position or claim some other post, perhaps Campaign Director.
The MCP DOY, revered amongst the party’s supporters who fondly call him the “bulldozer”, confirmed to Nyasa Times Monday that he is indeed contesting for SG and “will soon present his nomination papers”.
This, obviously, may have already sent shivers of fear, especially through Chithyola Banda and Mkaka.
The two, in my observation, had been maneuvering in an obvious two race campaign, mostly using their enablers to reach out to various MCP social media groups, where Chithyola Banda was projected would easily defeat Mkaka, the current SG.
I hold the view that Chimwendo Banda deliberately delayed his declaration to contest for SG and then announced it suddenly to surprise everyone. I think he wanted to ambush his competitors, especially Simplex Chithyola, whose projected “easy victory” over Mkaka is now seemingly thrown off course.
Chimwendo Banda undoubtedly brings the real battle in the MCP’s SG contest—being a “loved” long-time party loyalist, which earned him the key position of DOY and makes him constantly serve as Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister and Leader of the House in Parliament, among others.
He is called the “bulldozer”, allegedly for being a “natural crowd puller”, capable of mobilizing and drawing mammoth crowds of people towards the party.
Chimwendo Banda is an alleged “orator”, who convinces people, especially uplifting the youths to rally behind MCP’s agenda. He reportedly wants to be a “uniting” Secretary General of the party, after an alleged “divisive campaign” by aspirants ahead of the convention.
Of course, Chithyola and Mkaka, will definitely not bow out even in the face of this added seemingly domineering competition, considering that they have already come a long way.
Chithyola is also a long-time MCP member, serving as a Member of Parliament and Minister of Finance. Mkaka, the current Secretary General, is also a Parliamentarian and former Cabinet Minister. Both are also “loved” in the rank and file of MCP, which gives them courage to continue trying their best and give Chimwendo Banda a good run.
As the aspirants continue convincing the convention’s delegates—through, among others, providing them with cash and goods, as reported in the mainstream media—we can only expect and accept any outcome, for they say: “Mwamuna nzako mpa chulu nkulinga utakwelapo”.
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