Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president John Tembo has declared that he is not ready to quit politics because he has not accomplished his mission to rule the country. Addressing a rally at Kaliyeka ground in Lilongwe on Sunday, Tembo, who is also Leader of Opposition, said all those calling for his retirement were wasting their time.

He also maintained that the party’s former Secretary General Kate Kainja voluntarily resigned, accusing her of absconding from party meetings. Tembo wondered why Kainja clings on the party, arguing the minister cannot be in MCP and at the same time, a member of President Bingu wa Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

“Our custom in the MCP is that you are not supposed to have dual membership. The moment you have one leg here and the other in another camp, then know you are definitely out. You cannot play with this party, it belongs to Kamuzu. Even myself, I do not play with the party,” said Tembo, attracting calls from the crowd for Kainja to leave the party.

But Kainja, who is Education Minister, insisted she was still a member of the MCP and that she has been ignored by not being informed of the meetings. “Since I resigned on March 29 [as secretary general], I have never been invited, so I am not always aware of the rallies and meetings. I only go to places where I have been invited,” said Kainja.

But the party’s spokesman Nicholas Dausi dismissed Kainja’s remarks, saying members are not invited to rallies because they are part and parcel of the set up. “Practically speaking, a member of a party is supposed to subscribe to the rules and regulations of that particular party and you do not need to be invited to the meeting. Were all the people who went there invited?” queried Dausi.

The rally was attended by across section of people including newly elected speaker of the National Assembly Louis Chimango, most MCP MPs as well as Blantyre City South parliamentarian Gerald Mponda (Independent). Commenting on the election case which his party lost, Tembo told the cheering crowd that it was politics and not law that had taken its course and appealed to his supporters to abide by the court ruling and strategise for the future.

But Tembo said his party was disappointed because it was not given a chance to provide the evidence in the case, describing the political situation as unstable. Introducing Chimango to the crowd, the veteran politician, while applauding all parties in the House for supporting their candidate, mocked government for their overwhelming support to the extent of fighting to second Chimango.

“For UDF I understand, but government without a party in parliament, scrambling to second our candidate, what was their motive? They were afraid they would lose badly if they had fielded a candidate,” said Tembo. On reports that some MPs had revolted against him, the Dedza South MP, challenged that all MPs are behind him and that some of the letters against him are in his files. Tembo said he declined the post of second vice president because he cannot be part of a government that bribes civil society and students to insult MPs.