By Durell Namasani

In a development that has sent shockwaves through Malawi’s political landscape, a video clip circulating widely on social media shows Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Deputy Secretary General and Mangochi Monkey Bay legislator Gerald Kazembe vowing to work with President Peter Mutharika to facilitate development in his constituency.

The unexpected pledge of cooperation with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader has triggered intense debate about the legislator’s political loyalties and future within the main opposition party.

The clip, which has been shared thousands of times across various platforms, captures Kazembe expressing his commitment to collaborate with Mutharika specifically to ensure that development projects reach his constituents in Mangochi. This pragmatic approach has been interpreted in sharply contrasting ways by political observers and party loyalists. While some view it as a pragmatic move to secure resources for his constituency from the government of the day, others see it as a troubling signal of disloyalty to the MCP, which currently serves as the official opposition in Parliament under the leadership of Lazarus Chakwera .

This latest controversy is not occurring in a vacuum. Kazembe has been at the center of internal party tensions since the MCP’s defeat in the September 2025 general elections. He was notably vocal in opposing party president Chakwera’s appointment of Simplex Chithyola Banda as Leader of Opposition in Parliament, arguing that the position should be filled through an election by MCP Members of Parliament rather than through a direct appointment . Kazembe even wrote to the Clerk of Parliament insisting that the party would conduct its own election for the leadership post, directly challenging Chakwera’s authority .

The simmering conflict escalated further when Kazembe, along with other senior party figures including first deputy president Catherine Gotani Hara and Eisenhower Mkaka, reportedly boycotted a parliamentary caucus called by Chakwera in Lilongwe . A leaked WhatsApp exchange also revealed a heated verbal spat between Kazembe and Chithyola Banda, in which Kazembe accused his colleague of authoring a contentious memo and attempting to undermine other party members’ ambitions .

Political analysts suggest that the internal strife reflects deeper divisions within the MCP following its electoral loss, with some senior figures increasingly viewing Chakwera’s leadership as a political liability rather than an asset . The party, which prided itself on discipline and hierarchy, now finds its internal conflicts playing out in public view, potentially weakening its effectiveness in holding the government accountable .

As of now, Kazembe has not issued any statement commenting on the viral clip or clarifying his remarks about working with Mutharika. Crucially, he has also made no official announcement regarding his status within the MCP, leaving unanswered the question of whether he intends to resign from the party or maintain his position while pursuing cross-party cooperation. The absence of clarification has only fueled further speculation about his political intentions and the potential realignments that may be taking shape behind the scenes.