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Malawi Congress Party
Political party in Malawi
Political party in Malawi
| Field | Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| name | Malawi Congress Party | ||
| logo | MCP Cockerel.pngclass=skin-invert | ||
| logo_size | 200px | ||
| colorcode | |||
| abbreviation | MCP | ||
| president | Lazarus Chakwera | ||
| secretary_general | Richard Chimwendo Banda | ||
| leader1_title | Treasurer General | ||
| leader1_name | John Paul | ||
| leader2_title | Publicity Secretary | ||
| leader2_name | Jessie Kabwila | ||
| founder | Orton Chirwa | ||
| Aleke Banda | |||
| founded | 30 September 1959 | ||
| predecessor | Nyasaland African Congress | ||
| headquarters | Lilongwe | ||
| youth_wing | Malawi Young Pioneers (disbanded) | ||
| ideology | Ubuntu | ||
| Conservatism | |||
| African nationalism | |||
| Anti-communism | |||
| Historical under Hastings Banda: | |||
| Pro-state-owned enterprises | |||
| Pro-state ownership | |||
| position | {{ubl | class=nowrap | |
| regional | Democrat Union of Africa | ||
| international | Centrist Democrat International | ||
| affiliation1_title | African affiliation | ||
| colors | Black, Red and Green | ||
| seats1_title | National Assembly | ||
| seats1 | |||
| seats2_title | SADC PF | ||
| seats2 | |||
| seats3_title | Pan-African Parliament | ||
| seats3 | |||
| symbol | Cockerel | ||
| website | |||
| country | Malawi |
Aleke Banda Conservatism African nationalism Anti-communism Historical under Hastings Banda: Pro-state-owned enterprises Pro-state ownership |Centre-right |Factions: |Right-wing
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is a political party in Malawi. It was formed as a successor party to the banned Nyasaland African Congress when the country, then known as Nyasaland, was under British rule. The MCP, under Hastings Banda, presided over Malawian independence in 1964. From 1966 to 1993, the MCP was the only legal party in the country, and the party continued to be a major force in the country after losing power in the 1994 Malawian general election.
MCP returned to power in 2020 as part of the Tonse Alliance, a coalition formed with other parties including the United Transformation Movement and the People's Party, when its leader Lazarus Chakwera won the presidential election and led the government. However, after the alliance later collapsed, the MCP lost its hold on the presidency in the 2025 general election when the incumbent Chakwera conceded defeat to Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party. As a result, MCP is now an opposition party at the national level.
The party remains one of the dominant forces in Malawian politics, with strong support especially in the central region, and continues to be influential in Parliament and local governance.
History
The Malawi Congress Party was the successor to the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) party, which was banned in 1959. The MCP was founded in 1959 by Orton Chirwa, Nyasaland's first African barrister, soon after his release from Gwelo Prison, and other NAC leaders including Aleke Banda and S. Kamwendo, in agreement with Hastings Kamuzu Banda, who remained in prison. The purpose for dashing the original NAC to form the MCP was the need for free operation since NAC was a banned party by that time.
Orton Chirwa became the first MCP president and later was succeeded by Hastings Banda after he was released from Gwelo Prison. Banda continued to hold the Presidency until his death in 1997.
In the 1961 Nyasaland elections, the MCP won all the seats in the legislature and later led Nyasaland to independence as Malawi in 1964. When Malawi became a republic in 1966, the MCP was formally declared to be the only legal party. For the next 27 years, the government and the MCP were effectively one. All adult citizens were required to be party members. They had to carry "party cards" in their wallets at all times.
The MCP lost its monopoly on power in a 1993 referendum and was roundly defeated in the country's first free elections the next year. It remains a major force in Malawian politics. It is strongest in the central region, populated by ethnic Chewa and Nyanja people.
Affiliates
The current MCP set up has seen the spring up of affiliate groups that are all working to strengthen the party. Among them are Kokoliko, Mighty Tambala Graduates, Born Free and Malawi Congress Party Diaspora Network (MCPDN). The MCP Diaspora Network has seen all MCP members and supporters living outside Malawi working together in support of the mother party back home. It has Regional Wings in countries like the UK, South Africa, USA, Republic of Ireland, Canada, and the Gulf Region. As of 2020, the MCPDN leader is UK based Chalo Mvula.
Presidents
- Orton Chirwa: 1959–1960
- Kamuzu Banda: 1960–1994
- Gwanda Chakuamba: 1994–2003
- John Tembo: 2003–2013
- Lazarus Chakwera: 2013–present
Election results
Presidential elections
| Election | Party candidate | Votes | % | Position | Result | 1994 | 1999 | 2004 | 2009 | 2014 | 2019 | 2020 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings Banda | 996,353 | 33.44% | 2nd | Defeated | |||||||||
| Gwanda Chakuamba | 2,106,790 | 45.21% | 2nd | Defeated | |||||||||
| John Tembo | 937,965 | 28.22% | 2nd | Defeated | |||||||||
| 1,365,672 | 30.49% | 2nd | Defeated | ||||||||||
| Lazarus Chakwera | 1,455,880 | 27.8% | 2nd | Defeated | |||||||||
| 1,781,740 | 35.41% | 2nd | Defeated | ||||||||||
| 2,604,043 | 59.34% | 1st | Elected | ||||||||||
| 1,765,170 | 33.01% | 2nd | Defeated |
National Assembly elections
| Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | 1961 | 1964 | 1971 | 1976 | 1978 | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1994 | 1999 | 2004 | 2009 | 2014 | 2019 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orton Chirwa | Lower roll | 71,659 | 98.8% | 22 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher roll | 385 | 10.3% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Hastings Banda | General roll | 28 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||
| Special roll | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 100% | 17 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||
| 100% | 14 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||
| 100% | 11 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||
| 100% | 29 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||
| 996,047 | 33.68% | 85 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gwanda Chakuamba | 1,518,548 | 33.81% | 10 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||
| John Tembo | 785,671 | 24.85% | 9 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||
| 562,859 | 12.94% | 31 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lazarus Chakwera | 895,659 | 17.37% | 22 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||
| 1,108,735 | 22.32% | 7 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||
| TBA | TBA | 3 | 2nd |
References
References
- (2012). "The institutionalisation of political parties in Malawi". Lunds University.
- (9 June 2017). "Bringing Down the Educational Wall: Political Regimes, Ideology, and the Expansion of Education". Cambridge University Press.
- "From despotism to democracy: the rise of multiparty politics in Malawi".
- "Malawi's Economic and Development Policy Choices from 1964 to 1980: An Epitome of 'Pragmatic Unilateral Capitalism'".
- "From despotism to democracy: the rise of multiparty politics in Malawi".
- "Malawi's Economic and Development Policy Choices from 1964 to 1980: An Epitome of 'Pragmatic Unilateral Capitalism'".
- Munthali, Burnett. (2024-07-15). "Analysis of how the Tonse Alliance began to crack and fall -".
- Gondwe, Gregory. (2025-09-24). "Former President Mutharika wins Malawi election to oust longtime rival Chakwera".
- (August 2021). "President Chakwera meets MCP Diaspora Leaders in London".
- (3 November 2020). "MCP Diaspora Network Elects New Committee: Chalo Mvula becomes new leader".
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