Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba has written the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to resolve issues surrounding his candidacy by lunch hour today, failing which, he will seek legal redress.
He was dropped from the list of those whose nominations have been accepted to contest at the party’s convention which starts tomorrow.
Through his lawyer Khumbo Soko, Mumba has written Chairperson for the Convention Steering Committee, Kezzie Msukwa demanding that the Party immediately reverses its decision to omit him from the list of ‘approved and vetted candidates, eligible to contest for the position of first deputy president at the elective Convention.
“We have had occasion to carefully consider our client’s nomination papers a copy of which has been attached to this letter and a decision of the High Court of Malawi rendered on 6 August 2024 in the case of Eddie Banda v Malawi Congress Party, Civil Case No 86 of 2024, nullifying the eligibility criteria for election into the Party’s NEC, which the Party had set in February 2024.
“We are of the firm view that there is no bar to our client contesting for the position of First Deputy President and accordingly our view is that the decision to omit him from the list of ‘approved and vetted candidates is not legally sound.
“We are instructed, therefore, to demand that should the Party elect to stand by its unlawful decision to exclude our client from participating at the elective Convention, that reasons in writing justifying this decision be made available to us,” reads part of the letter
Soko further said should his client’s grievances remain unresolved by 12:30 hours today Wednesday, they will have no option but to seek court redress.
Addressing the press in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Msukwa stated that the role of vetting candidates rested in the hands of the elections management committee.
He explained that among other criteria, they were looking for candidates who have shown loyalty to the party and Chakwera, as well as those who have been active on the ground.
Mumba was set to compete with Msukwa himself, Moses Kumkuyu, Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, and Catherine Gotani Hara, whose nominations have been accepted.
