Africa-Press – Malawi. A storm is brewing within the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) following a strongly-worded complaint from aspiring Members of Parliament for Lilongwe Mpeni Constituency against remarks made by Deputy Minister and MCP Director of Youth, Hon. Steve Baba Malondera.
The complaint, dated April 28, 2025, and addressed to the Secretary General of the party, alleges that Malondera issued threatening statements during a mega rally held on April 26 in Lilongwe East. In particular, the aspiring candidates expressed concern over Malondera’s claim: “Sitilora kuti Honourable Mkaka agwe ku Ma Primary,” which translates to “We will not allow Honourable Mkaka to lose in the primaries.”
The letter—signed by Hon. Samson Chaziya, Hon. Beauty Kumtomoni, Hon. Aron Makala Ngozo, and Hon. Dan Matayamanja—describes the remarks as intimidating and suggests that the Deputy Minister’s statements imply the manipulation of the upcoming primary elections in favour of a sitting MP.
“We write with great concern and fear,” reads the letter. “The speech has left us with more questions than answers… We really want to know what he meant by that statement.”
The complainants also accused Malondera of undermining democratic processes within the party and casting doubt on the integrity of the forthcoming primaries. They further allege that Members of Parliament are being deployed to Lilongwe Mpeni constituency for several days with the sole aim of ensuring that Mkaka wins.
Additionally, the letter informs party leadership that a verification exercise of areas and eligible delegates to the primary elections has been completed. The verification was conducted by the Constituency Committee along with all five aspiring MPs, including the sitting MP and aspiring ward councillors. A revised delegate document has since been submitted to the MCP Regional Office on April 25.
The complainants stress their commitment to a peaceful and democratic process within the party, but urge the leadership to treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves to avoid tension within the ranks.
“As members, we believe the Malawi Congress Party is a peaceful party with mature leadership,” the letter states. “We are hopeful our complaint will be taken seriously and responded to amicably.”
Party insiders say the remarks and the resulting friction highlight growing tensions in the run-up to MCP primary elections, especially in high-stakes constituencies like Lilongwe East. As of this reporting, the MCP leadership has yet to issue an official response.
For More News And Analysis About Malawi Follow Africa-Press
