Malawi: Chithyola 'Not Fit' to Lead Opposition, Claims MCP's Major As Chakwera's Inner Circle Comes Under Fire'

What the report says

A public leadership dispute has opened inside Malawi’s opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), with senior party figure Alex Major sharply criticizing former president Lazarus Chakwera’s close allies and questioning the direction of the party after its 2025 election defeat. The comments were reported by Nyasa Times and distributed by AllAfrica on 28 September 2026.

Major singled out Simplex Chithyola Banda, who serves as Leader of Opposition, saying he was not the right choice for the role. He argued that another legislator, Catherine Gotani Hara, was more senior and should have been selected instead. He also accused several figures around Chakwera’s home base in Area 10, including Chithyola Banda, of acting out of self-interest rather than commitment to the party.

The dispute appears to reflect a broader contest over who should lead the MCP next. According to the report, Major said the race to succeed Chakwera has effectively begun and warned against any attempt to change the party constitution to keep Chakwera in power. He urged the former president to step aside and said the MCP has other capable leaders. The remarks matter because they suggest growing internal friction at a moment when the party is trying to rebuild after losing government, and they highlight uncertainty over Chakwera’s future role in the opposition.