By Draxon Maloya
Joseph Chavula, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) regional chairperson for the North-South, has urged party officials to put aside divisive politics and work towards unity in the lead-up to the forthcoming elections.
Addressing regional party officials in Mzuzu, Chavula emphasized the need to respect President Lazarus Chakwera’s decision to appoint Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba as his running mate, a move that some party supporters had initially opposed due to internal party rivalries.
“We must respect the decision Chakwera has made in picking Mumba as his running mate. Let all the differences we had cease to exist. We have a government we must secure by supporting what the president has done,” Chavula said.
He added that his office would ensure Mumba is supported as the presidential running mate, while also backing Catherine Gotani Hara as the MCP deputy president.
Some party officials had expressed concerns about being side-lined if they chose to work with either Mumba or Gotani Hara but Chavula dismissed the concerns as “fear of the unknown,” emphasized that the party’s unity is crucial to securing the government and that all officials should support the president’s decision.
“My office has the duty to make sure that Mumba is supported being the presidential running mate while Gotani Hara is being supported as the MCP deputy president. The most important thing is that they are all coming from our region,” Chavula hinted.
Chavula also emphasized that party unity will be key to success in the elections, with President Chakwera’s strategic choice of Mumba as running mate aiming to strengthen the MCP’s united front.
