Malawi: No More Dirty Tricks - Mumba Defeats MCP Plot to Sneak Mkandawire in

29 July 2025
Nyasa Times (Leeds)

In a dramatic twist of political strategy and legal muscle, Vitumbiko Mumba has outmaneuvered the Malawi Congress Party (MCP)'s alleged scheme to field Adamson Kuseli Mkandawire as its sole candidate for the September 16 parliamentary elections in Mzimba Central.

Through his legal team led by seasoned lawyer Khumbo Bonzoe Soko, Mumba forced MCP to concede and abandon plans that could have seen Mkandawire sneak through party primaries unopposed -- despite an ongoing legal dispute.

In a letter dated July 29, 2025, Mumba's lawyer proposed a resolution to the legal battle (Civil Case No. 3 of 2025), requesting that:

MCP should not field any candidate in the constituency,

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Both Mkandawire and Mumba should be allowed to contest as independents while retaining their party membership,

MCP should not impose disciplinary action on any of them for going independent.

The party, cornered by court timelines and the risk of contempt, accepted all the terms -- confirming in its own letter signed by Legal Affairs Director George Kadzipatike that it would not field a candidate and both Mumba and Mkandawire are free to contest independently without fear of reprisal.

Insiders claim the party had already fast-tracked nomination papers for Mkandawire, allegedly signed by Secretary General Richard Chimwendo Banda, anticipating Mumba's withdrawal or disqualification. However, Mumba's last-minute strategy -- reportedly submitting his papers through a proxy to avoid being boxed out -- rendered MCP's alleged plot futile.

The showdown now moves to the ballot, where both men -- still technically MCP members -- will face each other as independents in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched races of the 2025 elections.

Read the original article on Nyasa Times.

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