Lilongwe — Pressure is mounting on Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to convene an emergency party convention, as senior officials accuse him of ignoring constitutional obligations and overstaying his mandate following his electoral defeat in September.
In a strongly worded letter dated October 8, 2025, and signed by Hon. Alex C.M. Major on behalf of 42 district chairpersons and three regional chairpersons, party leaders from across the country have called on Chakwera to convene the long-overdue convention before the end of November. The officials say this is necessary to “renew party structures, restore internal democracy, and strengthen trust between the leadership and the membership base.”
The letter reminds Chakwera that in August 2024 he publicly promised to hold a mini-convention to review the MCP constitution before the end of that year—a commitment that remains unfulfilled more than a year later. “We therefore appeal for the fulfillment of that commitment within the stipulated timeframe of November 2025,” Major wrote.
Quoting multiple sections of the MCP Constitution, the group argues that the presidency and several other positions in the National Executive Committee (NEC) have effectively fallen vacant following the September 16, 2025 general elections, in which Chakwera lost the presidency. Article 31(4) of the party’s constitution, they note, only allows a party president to serve an extra term if he or she is re-elected as State President during their second term — a condition they say Chakwera no longer meets.
“Since this condition has not been met, Article 36(6) comes into effect, requiring that appropriate constitutional steps be taken regarding the office of the Party President,” the letter reads. The signatories further warn that, unless Chakwera acts within 14 days of receiving the letter, the district committees are constitutionally empowered to call the emergency convention themselves.
The letter also invokes Article 39 of the MCP Constitution, which allows an emergency convention to be summoned if two-thirds of the NEC or district committees request it. According to Major, that threshold has already been reached.
In what observers see as a veiled reminder of political humility, the letter cites past party leaders who stepped down voluntarily after serving their terms. “Our distinguished leaders before you—Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda, Hon. Gwanda Chakuamba, and Rt. Hon. John Tembo—each retired honourably in recognition of constitutional principles and party tradition. We trust that you, too, will uphold this noble legacy,” Major wrote.
The correspondence, confirmed by senior MCP insiders, also states that funding for the convention has already been secured, leaving Chakwera with no financial excuse for delay. The group insists the call is not an act of rebellion but a demand for transparency, legality, and democratic renewal within the party.
Political analysts say the letter exposes deepening divisions within the MCP as it grapples with its first taste of opposition politics in five years. “This is not just about internal elections—it’s about legitimacy,” one commentator noted. “If the MCP delays this convention any further, it risks eroding its moral authority as a party that once prided itself on order and constitutionalism.”
For now, all eyes are on President Chakwera and the MCP headquarters in Lilongwe. Whether he yields to the pressure or resists it could determine the future of the party he once led to power — and now stands accused of leading into paralysis.
