Fresh from securing his third and last term as ruling Malawi Congress Party’s (MCP) leader, State President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera—looking calm, composed and confident—addressed scores of excited delegates from the glamorous podium of BICC’s auditorium in Lilongwe Saturday evening, closing the party’s three-day 2024 elective convention.
Chakwera, who is automatically MCP’s presidential candidate in the 2025 general election, pleaded with newly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) members to desist from laziness, unnecessary anger and selfishness.
The president took his time to speak against those three vices, emphasizing that they can affect the party’s “guaranteed victory” in the next general election.
“We must understand that we are in these positions to serve this mighty ruling party, to which its members, voters and supporters are happy to belong and associate. Our grass root structures work hard to maintain this support base.
“As NEC members, we must also immediately get busy. We must collaborate amongst ourselves and with everyone else to advance in peace and harmony our party’s agenda in order to remain a ruling party that always prioritizes the interests of Malawians,” Chakwera said, in part, amid thunderous applauses and cheers of excitement.
Voting during the convention had began Thursday night and went on throughout Friday, with delegates filling all top 20 positions in NEC, including President, First Deputy President, Secretary General, Treasurer General and Publicity Secretary, among others.
First and second deputy positions could not be filled due to “lack of time” and “other unforeseen circumstances”, according to Kezzie Msukwa, Chairperson of the convention steering committee.
Consequently, delegates mandated Chakwera, NEC and regional chairmen to “just appoint” people in the remaining positions.
According to Richard Chimwendo Banda, Secretary General, Chakwera, in consultation with NEC and the regional chairmen, will appoint people based on gender, regions, religion and age, among other factors.
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