By Burnett Munthali
Honourable Vitumbiko Mumba, a member of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), has won a legal case he filed against his own party regarding procedural irregularities within the party.
The case attracted public interest because the people who filed the case were members of MCP themselves, exposing internal disagreements and divisions within the party.
The High Court ruled decisively that the affected MCP members must be granted a fresh opportunity to vote within the party structure.
According to the court’s judgment, the earlier processes used by MCP were deemed fraudulent and failed to adhere to principles of fairness and transparency.
So far, the MCP leadership has not issued any official statement, either expressing satisfaction or disappointment with the court’s decision.
The case was presided over by a judge known for his strict discipline and firm adherence to the law, with no tolerance for casual behavior in court.
During the proceedings, some individuals attempted to casually greet the judge with phrases like “Wawa, kagundeni” (a light-hearted greeting), but the judge did not respond or smile.
Even after the ruling was delivered, one of the individuals tried to joke with the judge by asking for a selfie, but the judge rejected the idea and walked away without entertaining such “nonsense.”
This response by the judge showed his commitment to maintaining the seriousness of the courtroom and the judicial process.
The court’s decision appears to have favored those who filed the complaint against MCP, and now the party is expected to address the internal divisions that have been exposed.
This case illustrates that even powerful political parties must follow the law and ensure that every member is granted the right to speak and vote freely.
As things stand, MCP must reflect deeply on how it manages its internal affairs to avoid being politically weakened ahead of the 2025 general elections.
The court emphasized that internal democracy must be restored in the party through proper and transparent means.
