Malawi Congress Party

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Malawi Congress Party
AbbreviationMCP
President Lazarus Chakwera
Secretary-General Richard Chimwendo Banda
Treasurer GeneralJohn Paul
Publicity SecretaryJessie Kabwila
Founder Orton Chirwa
Aleke Banda
Founded30 September 1959
Preceded by Nyasaland African Congress
HeadquartersLilongwe
Youth wing Malawi Young Pioneers (disbanded)
Ideology Ubuntu
Conservatism [1]
African nationalism [2]
Anti-communism
Historical under Hastings Kamuzu Banda:
Pro-State-owned enterprises [3] [4]
Pro-State ownership [5] [6]
Political position
Regional affiliation Democrat Union of Africa
International affiliation Centrist Democrat International
Colors Black, Red and Green
National Assembly
55 / 193
SADC PF
0 / 5
Pan-African Parliament
0 / 5
Election symbol
Cockerel
Website
www.malawicongress.party

The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is a political party in Malawi. It was formed as a successor party to the banned Nyasaland African Congress when the country, then known as Nyasaland, was under British rule. The MCP, under Hastings Banda, presided over Malawian independence in 1964. From 1966 to 1993, the MCP was the only legal party in the country, and the party continued to be a major force in the country after losing power in the 1994 Malawian general election. Since the victory of MCP leader Lazarus Chakwera in the 2020 Malawian presidential election, the MCP has once again been the governing party of Malawi.

Contents

History

The Malawi Congress Party was the successor to the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) party, which was banned in 1959. The MCP was founded in 1959 by Orton Chirwa, Nyasaland's first African barrister, soon after his release from Gwelo Prison, and other NAC leaders including Aleke Banda and S. Kamwendo, in agreement with Hastings Kamuzu Banda, who remained in prison. The purpose for dashing the original NAC to form the MCP was the need for free operation since NAC was a banned party by that time.

Orton Chirwa became the first MCP president and later was succeeded by Hastings Banda after he was released from Gwelo Prison. Banda continued to hold the Presidency until his death in 1997.

In the 1961 Nyasaland elections, the MCP won all the seats in the legislature and later led Nyasaland to independence as Malawi in 1964. When Malawi became a republic in 1966, the MCP was formally declared to be the only legal party. For the next 27 years, the government and the MCP were effectively one. All adult citizens were required to be party members. They had to carry "party cards" in their wallets at all times.

The MCP lost its monopoly on power in a 1993 referendum and was roundly defeated in the country's first free elections the next year. It remains a major force in Malawian politics. It is strongest in the central region, populated by ethnic Chewa and Nyanja people.

Affiliates

The current MCP set up has seen the spring up of affiliate groups that are all working to strengthen the party. Among them are Kokoliko, Mighty Tambala Graduates, Born Free and Malawi Congress Party Diaspora Network (MCPDN). The MCP Diaspora Network has seen all MCP members and supporters living outside Malawi working together in support of the mother party back home. [7] It has Regional Wings in countries like the UK, South Africa, USA, Republic of Ireland, Canada, and the Gulf Region. As of 2020, the MCPDN leader is UK based Chalo Mvula. [8]

Presidents

Electoral history

Presidential elections

ElectionParty candidateVotes%Result
1994 Hastings Banda 996,35333.44%LostRed x.svg
1999 Gwanda Chakuamba 2,106,79045.21%LostRed x.svg
2004 John Tembo 937,96528.22%LostRed x.svg
2009 1,365,67230.49%LostRed x.svg
2014 Lazarus Chakwera 1,455,88027.8%LostRed x.svg
2019 1,781,74035.41%LostRed x.svg
2020 2,604,04359.34%ElectedGreen check.svg

National Assembly elections

ElectionParty leaderVotes%Seats+/–Position
1961 Orton Chirwa Lower roll71,65998.8%
22 / 28
Increase2.svg 22Increase2.svg 1st
Higher roll38510.3%
1964 Hastings Banda General roll
50 / 53
Increase2.svg 28Steady2.svg 1st
Special roll
1971
60 / 60
Increase2.svg 10Steady2.svg 1st
1976
70 / 70
Increase2.svg 10Steady2.svg 1st
1978 100%
87 / 87
Increase2.svg 17Steady2.svg 1st
1983 100%
101 / 101
Increase2.svg 14Steady2.svg 1st
1987 100%
112 / 112
Increase2.svg 11Steady2.svg 1st
1992 100%
141 / 141
Increase2.svg 29Steady2.svg 1st
1994 996,04733.68%
56 / 177
Decrease2.svg 85Decrease2.svg 2nd
1999 Gwanda Chakuamba 1,518,54833.81%
66 / 193
Increase2.svg 10Steady2.svg 2nd
2004 John Tembo 785,67124.85%
57 / 193
Decrease2.svg 9Steady2.svg 2nd
2009 562,85912.94%
26 / 193
Decrease2.svg 31Steady2.svg 2nd
2014 Lazarus Chakwera 895,65917.37%
48 / 193
Increase2.svg 22Steady2.svg 2nd
2019 1,108,73522.32%
55 / 193
Increase2.svg 7Steady2.svg 2nd

See also

References

  1. Wikman, Björn (2012). "The institutionalisation of political parties in Malawi". Lunds University. p. 13. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  2. Manzano, Dulce (9 June 2017). Bringing Down the Educational Wall: Political Regimes, Ideology, and the Expansion of Education. Cambridge University Press. p. 89. ISBN   9781108508681 . Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  3. "From despotism to democracy: the rise of multiparty politics in Malawi" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2024.
  4. Kayuni, Happy. "Malawi's Economic and Development Policy Choices from 1964 to 1980: An Epitome of 'Pragmatic Unilateral Capitalism'".
  5. "From despotism to democracy: the rise of multiparty politics in Malawi" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2024.
  6. Kayuni, Happy. "Malawi's Economic and Development Policy Choices from 1964 to 1980: An Epitome of 'Pragmatic Unilateral Capitalism'".
  7. "President Chakwera meets MCP Diaspora Leaders in London". Nyasa Times. August 2021.
  8. "MCP Diaspora Network Elects New Committee: Chalo Mvula becomes new leader". Nyasa Times. 3 November 2020.