MCP Leaders Challenge Lazarus Chakwera Amid Succession Battle
Malawi Congress Party members Alex Major and Ayuba James are demanding the retirement of Lazarus Chakwera following the party's 2025 election defeat.
Internal conflict has escalated within the Malawi Congress Party as senior members launch public challenges against the leadership of Lazarus Chakwera. Following the party's defeat in the 2025 election, critics are demanding a complete rebranding and the retirement of the former president to avoid further decline.
Alex Major, a party heavyweight, urged Chakwera to retire with dignity rather than attempting to rewrite the party constitution to extend his power. Major attributed the loss of government to arrogance and a manufactured image of moral superiority, claiming that Chakwera's advisors were opportunists who misled him. He specifically criticized the appointment of Simplex Chithyola Banda as Leader of Opposition, arguing that Catherine Gotani Hara was more deserving based on seniority.
Similarly, Independent MP Ayuba James asserted that the party cannot reform while Chakwera remains in charge. James cited the exclusion of Vitumbiko Mumba from the National Executive Committee as evidence that the party is unprepared to rebrand. While Major has declared his own ambitions to lead the party, James has championed McBride Nkhalamba as a potential candidate for the upcoming presidential race.
