MCP convention: Daza, Jumbe upbeat of winning

As the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is geared to hold its long waited convention on August 9, some candidates have expressed total confidence of winning the votes.

The party convention committee headed by Joseph Njobvuyalema postponed the meeting for two times due to some disagreements with the party as to who is supposed to stand for the presidency.

In an interview with Nyasa Times both candidates, former Farmers Union of Malawi President Felix Jumbe and MCP Secretary General Chris Daza have said they expect nothing less than victory at the convention.

“I am very confident that we will make it, although whenever you are going into an election, almost everyone if confident in victory but I assure you that I am going to win at the convention,” said Daza.

He expressed satisfaction with the way the party has handled the convention preparations.

“I am very happy that the party prepared very well towards the elections, it was very open to everyone and we have been given all the opportunity to reach out to the delegates to campaign,” he said.

Daza said he will accept results if he loses and support the winner.

“I am an MCP member and I will forever be one. If I lose, though I don’t think I will give total support to the one who will win.”

He added, “Above all, it’s not about who is going to win at the convention but if we are all going to win as a party, how can we do it to choose someone who can unite the party and the country once we win the forth coming general elections.”

Another aspirant Jumbe said his greater strength dwells much on his emphasis on the critical issue aiming at saving Malawi from poverty slavery.

“Delegates will need a leader who goes for critical issues affect the country which comes about because for some time we have ignored our gold mine which is farming. If we cannot produce, we are reduced to beggars and that’s why even today a greeting is for sale.

“We must remember that for the Israelis to be slaves it was because of hunger and that’s where the country is heading to. If they are going to choose  not based on tribe, status, age and religion then believe me, I will carry the day .

“ I am not afraid to say that I don’t have a contender because all the delegates and me have similar backgrounds
as farmers and they know the importance of what am talking about,” said Jumbe.

He cautioned the party to hold a free and fair convention saying as an old party in the country it should be exemplary and show maturity.

Delegates from all corners of the country will start arriving in Lilongwe on Thursday for a three day convention which will start from August 9-11.

The MCP first announced about the convention in March when the date was set to be April 27 before the meet was postponed citing lack of funding and appropriate accommodation as the major problem.

The current MCP leader John Tembo is facing a challenge from 11 candidates who would want to lead the party. But the party’s constitution bars Tembo to seek re-election having exhausted his two mandatory terms.

The challengers include Daza; former Malawi Assemblies of God president Lazarus Chakwera; Jumbe; retired Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo and former Cabinet Minister Jodder Kanjere.

Other contestatnts are former secretary general Betson Majoni; MPs Edwin Banda (Nkhotakota central); Watson Makala Ngozo (Lilongwe Mpenu) and Joseph Njobvuyalema (Lilongwe Mapuyu south); and the party’s former director of political affairs Eston Kakhome.

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