Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba who wants to stand for the position of the First Deputy President at the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) convention has asked the Party to immediately reverse its decision that bar him from contesting.
According to Mumba, the removal of his name by the convention steering committee is questionable and through his lawyer Khumbo Soko, he has demanded MCP to rescind the decision until 12:30 failing which, the matter will be taken to Court.
Mumba is among twenty contestants who have been removed by the convention steering committee.
In the letter we have seen dated 7 August 2024, Mumba’s lawyer Khumbo Soko said as the court nullified the eligibility criteria for one to be elected into the party’s National Executive Committee, there is no justification for his exclusion.
“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,” reads part of the statement.
Yesterday High Court judge Howard Pemba ruled that the MCP National Executive Committee (NEC) does not have the powers to impose new eligibility criteria for aspirants seeking top positions.
Meanwhile, MCP is expected to address journalists at noon on the same issue.
