NICHOLAS DAUSI: WILL MCP BE THE SAME AGAIN?

As the party strive survive the political shakeup

By: Peter Qeko Jere

Its was first Dr. Peter Chiona, Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba, Kettie Kainja Kaluluma, Benton Kutsaira and Ted Kalebe and its now Uncle Nicholas Dausi leaving the once mighty Malawi congress Party. At first it was like a joke when my Sister’s daughter told me that Nicholas Dausi had a press conference and that he had joined Bingu Wamthalika’s Democratic Progressive Party. I waited till late in the evening that I saw on TVM Uncle Dausi briefing the press. I had many questions myself about this whole move to DPP because I can’t just imagine the party loosing all these known people like that. Actually what is wrong with MCP? Something should be happening in this party that things are like this? Now that Dausi is in DPP what will his political future be like? Is this a good move for a politician like him? Will this going to have any impact on MCP?

To begin with, let me firstly say that to me, Uncle Nicholas Dausi has expressed his constitutional right to move to any party he feels like. As a Malawians he has this right just like any Malawian. The only issue is that this move becomes a headline story if its people like him making the move. If it was Jim or jack moving to any of the parties in town, nothing could happen.

Now it is wrong and untrue to say that there is political stability in MCP as of now when you see big politicians leaving it like that. It is a fact that something is happening inside the party that is forcing many politicians leave it. If this party was stable and at peace, I don’t think all these politicians could have left it. So we strongly argue that something in this party is wrong and we just need to do a little research to discover and see what actually if the reason behind all this Political Tsunami. The MCP we know is that party which once was mighty and has political support from all Malawians. Infact all Malawians were once registered members of this party and we love it. Then we never used to seeing such things happening as we see today.

As from the Mwanza press briefing, it was mentioned that Dausi has moved from MCP because the party is championing section 65 and not the national budget. The other issue is that the party respecting Kamuzu and the fact that government has put a Kamuzu’s statue in this year’s budget. Now some of us agree with what Dausi has done by taking a strong stand on issues of Kamuzu. It is wrong for MCP to say that section 65 is more important than the national budget. By considering section 65 and not the budget, Tembo and MCP have created a very difficult situation for themselves because they have to convince Malawians why they think the budget is not needed this time around. This is a political death sentence of MCP politician’s political career because by and large the power of the vote will be the judge during the 2009 election. As to Dausi’s political career, he will be more used and fruitful in government than in MCP because this time around he will have real work to do and shall be able to demonstrate his political skills. It is good seeing a situation where someone is deciding to serve his country in a time like this. We are saying like this because many times opposition parties don’t have the means and resources to promote the daily welfare of the people hence its always better to work with government.

Some have said that Dausi’s move to DPP has no effect in the daily life of MCP as a party. Actually it is wrong to say that this move will leave MCP the same. Dausi’s departure will leave a gap in MCP’s political life and things will never be the same. This is because this man is a charismatic politician who has his own way and style of playing this political game. It will take God’s grace for this party to have a charismatic PRO of the party like Dausi hence this is not an easy thing for the party.

Now the question is how can this party be the same if it’s in a situation where it lost Dr. Peter Chiona –Vice President, Dr. Ntaba-Publicity Secretary, Kettie, Kainja Kaluluma-Genera Secretary, Beton Kutsayira, Ted Kalebe and now Nicholas Dausi the Deputy Vice President? Thus we are arguing that it’s a wishful thinking to say that things in MCP are OK and that they are not affected with this Exodus of politicians to other parties.

Now a way forward for MCP is for them to put their house in order before the party sees more exodus. As of now, the party has no General Secretary, Vice President, Deputy Vice President Publicity Secretary and others. They should democratize their party system so that it should they should retain their old glory. If they will continue with this trend then we are likely to see the natural political Tsunami in the political life of the party.