Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba, who is vying for the position of Vice President for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), assured supporters on Sunday that he will be on the ballot paper during the party’s convention on 8 August 2024.
Mumba made this announcement during a press briefing at Grand Palace Hotel in Mzuzu. He expressed confidence in his chances of winning the position, citing his well-known support for all party structures across the country as his key strength.
“The only experience I don’t have is jumping from one political party to another and blocking opponents from contesting during the elective convention,” he stated.
Engineer Mumba further emphasized that he does not have experience in victimizing party members who support other candidates within the party.
Before holding a rally at Katoto ground, where he unveiled his manifesto ahead of the convention, Mumba proposed that the party’s Secretary General should not hold significant positions in the government to focus on promoting party affairs. He also suggested the need for mid-term conventions to review party affairs without the heightened emotions typically seen at the end of each term.
“There are always hot emotions during party conventions held at the end of each term as people fight for positions. This affects making the right decisions for the party,” he said.
Another proposal he put forward was the need for inter-stakeholder engagement, where the committee engages various stakeholders such as chiefs, religious leaders, and the business community.
In response to a question about eligibility for those intending to contest at the MCP convention, Mumba reiterated that delegates should expect to see his name on the ballot paper.
In June, the Chairperson for the MCP 2024 Indaba Steering Committee, Kezzie Msukwa, informed journalists in Lilongwe that the party had not altered the requirement that anyone intending to contest must have been a member for at least two years.
However, this publication has learned that some members, including Ken Nsonda, have already submitted their nomination forms to the secretariat responsible for the convention. Additionally, inside sources revealed that the committee extended the nomination period from July 15 to July 24 to allow those previously deemed ineligible to submit their papers.
