Table Of ContentMalawi Congress Party. Annual Convention.
Resolutions, 1965-1975.
STANFORD LIBRARIES
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onWar, Revolution, and Peace
FOUNDEDBYHERBERTHOOVER, 1919
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Malawi
Congress Party
Annual
Convention
Resolutions 1965-1975
Juft of
pub
1779
Prezidenti Wamuyaya wa Ripabuliki la Malawi
Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda.
"OurConstitution was deliberatelydesigned so thatallsections ofour community
—
Party leaders, traditional rulers, representatives of local authorities, women,
—
youth should be represented in a body that decides policy for this country.
This isourkind ofdemocracy, whatever others may think."
His Excellency the Life President, Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda, in his opening
address to the Malawi Congress Party Annual Convention in Mzuzu on
September 6, 1970.
"TheConvention isthe primary Parliament ofMalawi. The Parliament in Zomba
isasecondaryone. Therefore, whenweareinaConvention, gathered here together,
fromalloverthecountry, weare notMinisters, wearenotMembersofParliament,
wearejustMalawians, getting together to consider seriously how this country can
develop;what kindoflife we want our people tolive: how we can improvethelife
oftheordinary men and women in the villages; is everything going on all right?
Isthereanythingwrong? Ifso, what is it? Where? Are we doingour bestforthe
people? What improvements should we embark on now?"
His Excellency the Life President, Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda in his
closing address to the Malawi Congress Party Convention in Lilongwe on
September 11, 1971.
INTRODUCTION
TheAnnualConventionofthe MalawiCongress Partyisthehighest authority ofthe
Party.It meets once everyyearatplaces andtimes designated bytheLife President. The
Conventionalsohears, discusses anddecides matters ofnational policy. Ithaspowersto
punish, dismiss or suspend any member ofthe Party, and to re-admit into thePartyany
dismissedorsuspended member.
The following are delegates totheConvention:
(a) Members ofthe National Executive Committee ofthe Party.
(b) Cabinet Ministers.
(c) Speakerofthe National Assembly.
(d) Parliamentary Secretaries.
(e) Members oftheRegional Committees ofthe Party.
(f) Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers ofDistrict Committees ofthe Party.
(g) Chairmen, Secretaries andTreasurers ofDistrictCommitteesoftheLeagueof
Malawi Women.
(h) Chairmen, Secretaries andTreasurers ofDistrictCommitteesoftheLeagueof
Malawi Youth.
(i) Members ofParliament.
(j) Traditional Authorities ofthe rank ofChiefand Paramount Chief.
(k) Mayors ofCity and Municipal Councils.
(1) Chairmen ofTown and District Councils.
(m) MembersoftheNationalCommitteesofthoseorganisations that areaffiliated
tothe Malawi Congress Party.
HisExcellencytheLifePresidenthaspowerstoadmitasobserverssuchotherpersons
ashemaywish. Noonecanactasadelegateformorethanonebranchororganisationorin
morethanone capacity.
RESOLUTIONS
1965 ―― LILONGWE
TheMalawiCongressPartyAnnualConventionpassedtenresolutionsafterafour-day
sitting in Lilongwe.
TheConventionreviewed, consideredanddebatedtheactivitiesandachievementsof
theNgwazi since his arrivalin 1958; domestic and foreign policy: proposed Republican
Constitution;discipline in theParty; and theneedto maintaina strong and stable Govern
ment.
TheConvention expressed its desire to establish in Malawi an efficient, honest and
incorruptible administration.
1
TheChairman ofthe Constitutional Drafting Committee readthe following resolu
tions:
1. WereaffirmourunflinchingloyaltytoNgwaziDr.H.KamuzuBanda,Fatherand
FounderoftheNationofMalawiandLifePresidentofthemightyMalawiCongressParty.
2. Rededicateourselves touphold, at alltimes, the fourcornerstones ofourParty,
which are: Unity, Loyalty, Obedience and Discipline.
3. Approveofthe internal and external policies ofNgwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda
andhis Government.
4. ReassuretheNgwaziofourunflinchingsupport in thetaskofstampingoutany
formofsubversionagainstthepeople,StateofMalawiandherleaderandpledgeourselves,
ourchildren, children'schildren, towatchvigilantlyandfightagainstanyformofsubver
sion whether external or internal;
5. Support the warning made by the Ngwazi that both Communist China and
imperialistic United States ofAmerica should not interfere inthe internal affairs of our
beloved Malawi by grooming treasonous traitors and murderers for leadership ofthis
country, andcondemn, inno uncertain terms, CommunistChinaand imperialistic United
StatesofAmericaoranyothercountrywhichharboursandgivessuccourtotheserebelsand
perpertual enemies ofthe State ofMalawi.
6. CalluponallPartyleadersandmemberstoconductthemselvesinsuchawayasto
showexemplary behaviour both in their private and publiclives;
7. Pledgeourselvestoabide bythe ideals and principles ofNgwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu
Bandaand, inparticular, hisinjunctions and admonitions againstinefficiency, dishonesty
and corruption among leaders and public servants and support the measures whichthe
Government has takento eradicate these evils;
8. WholeheartedlyapprovethedraftConstitutionoftheMalawiCongressParty, and
pledge to abide bythe provisions therein.
9. Wholeheartedlyandwillinglyendorse and accepttheproposalsfortheConstitu
tion ofthe Republic ofMalawi, and in particular endorse the proposal to establish, in
Malawi, astrongandstable GovernmentunderaOne-PartyState, andtohave aPresident
whoshallbebothHeadofStateandHeadofGovernmentandshallhavenoVice-President
orPrime Minister;
10. Unanimously nominate Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda, Life President ofthe
mightyMalawi Congress Party, firstPrime Ministerofthe IndependentState ofMalawi,
Father and Founder of the Nation, as the Malawi Congress Party candidate for the
Presidency ofthe Republic ofMalawi.
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1966 - BLANTYRE
The Malawi Congress Party's four-day Annual Convention which was held at the
KwachaNationalCultureCentrepassednineresolutions,oneofwhichwastotakethetask
ofnation-building so as to increase productivity and thus ensure prosperity in Malawi.
Theresolutions passed were as follows:
1. Convention reaffirms its unflinching loyalty to, confidence in our undisputed
leader, Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda;
2. Rededicates itselfto uphold at all times the four cornerstones upon whichthe
M.C.P. and the State of Malawi are built, namely: Unity, Loyalty, Obedience and
Discipline;
3. Dedicates itselftothetaskofnation-buildingandtakesitupon itselftoteachand
demonstratevarious methodsbywhichwecanachieveincreasedproductivityandprosper
ity;
4. WholeheartedlyacceptsGovernmentpolicyasregardslandtenureandundertakes
to do everything in its power to see thatthis policy succeeds;
5. Approves ofand supports Government's internal aswell as externalpolicies as
explained by Ministers and as stated at various times by the President, both inside and
outside the country;
6. Expresses gratitude and deep appreciation to the President for the increase in
salaries ofcivil servants, teachers and Chiefs; refund ofProvident Fund contributionsto
public servants; increase in the price ofmaize; and the start ofwork onthe move ofthe
capitalwhichthe Ngwazi announced in his address;
7. ExpressesitscompletesatisfactionatthestepswhichtheGovernmenthastakento
trainourpeopleforvariousjobsinGovernmentandattheprogressofAfricanisation inthe
public services;
8. PlacesonrecordthefactthatsincethedepartureoftherebelsfromMalawithere
hasbeenanunprecedentedeconomicexpansioninthecountryasaresultoftheconfidence
whichinvestors have inthe Ngwazi and this country and, therefore, expresses its sincere
gratitudetothe Ngwazi for his strong and wise leadership;
9. Andcallsuponleadersto endeavouratalltimestoconductthemselvesin sucha
wayasto show exemplary behaviour in boththeir private and public lives.
1967-MZUZU
Resolutions passed by the third Annual Convention ofthe Malawi Congress Party
attendedbymembersoftheNationalExecutiveCommittee,membersofRegionalCommit
tees,DistrictChairmen, Secretaries, TreasurersoftheParty,theLeagueofMalawiWomen
3
andtheLeagueofMalawiYouth, MembersofParliament,ChiefsandChairmenofDistrict
Councils held at Marymount Girls' Secondary School, Mzuzu, from September 10 to
September 18, 1967.
Whereasthemainthemeforthe dialogue ofthis conferenceisBuildingthe Nation;
Having listened to and discussed fully the very erudite address presented by His
ExcellencyDr. H. Kamuzu Banda, PresidentoftheRepublicofMalawiandLifePresident
ofthe mighty Malawi Congress Party;
KnowingthatunlessthereisastrongandstableGovernmenttherecanbenoprogress
whatsoeverinany country, conscious ofthe fact thatMalawi is basically an agricultural
countryandthatalleconomicorindustrialprogressinthiscountrymusthaveagricultureas
abase;
Being aware ofthe factthat forgeographical and historicalreasons the economy of
Malawiisinextricablytiedupwiththatofourimmediateneighbourstothesouthandthatin
the interest ofthe people ofthis country it is idle to talk of boycotting our immediate
neighbours;
Realizingthatpoliticalstabilityisoneofthemostimportantfactorsinthedevelopment
of any country and that in this country the activities ofthe Jehovah's Witnesses are
detrimentaltothe maintenance ofpeace and calm;
Now,therefore, wethe delegates andrepresentatives ofallthepeopleofMalawi, in
congress assembled.
1. ApproveandwelcomeHisExcellency'sappealforhardworkinallaspectsofour
nationalactivities, moreespeciallyinthefieldofagricultureastheeconomyofthiscountry
isbased mainly on agriculture.
2. Condemnlaziness and laxityonthepartofsomepeople incertainparts ofour
countryintheadoption ofmodernmethods offarmingasexpoundedby officials ofthe
MinistryofNaturalResources andpromiseto spreadthemessageforhardwork andthe
productionofbettercropsthroughoutthe country.
3. Endorsethattoachieveprogress, thefourcornerstonesuponwhichtheStateand
thePartyinMalawi arebuilt, namely: Unity, Loyalty, Obedience and Discipline mustbe
observedbyeverymemberofthe Party, highorlow atalltimes andstronglysupportthe
disciplinaryactionsmetedbyHisExcellencyonthosewhohaveviolatedtheseprinciples.
4. ReceivewithgreatappreciationHisExcellency'sgenerousdecisiontoreviewthe
salaries ofChiefs in accordance withtheir responsibilities intheirrespective areas.
5. Hail His Excellency's policy on localization and confirm thatthis isthe right
policy forMalawi to pursue.
6. Support strongly and unequivocally the Government's decision to move the
capitalfrom ZombatoLilongweasthiswillhelpto correctthe imbalance ofdevelopment
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whichexistsatthepresentmomentand,therefore,urgethatthemoveshouldbedonewith
theminimumofdelaysoastoeffecteveneconomicdevelopmentthroughoutthecountry.
7. Putonrecordourappreciation andgratitude toHis ExcellencythePresidentfor
hiswisdomandforesightwhichhavebroughtMalawisuchsteadyeconomicandindustrial
progressinsoshortatimeandpledgeourselvestoplayaveryactiverole soastoassociate
ourselveswith this development even atthe village level.
8. Recommended stronglythattheJehovah's Witnesses denominationbe declared
illegal inthiscountryastheattitudeofits adherents isnotonlyinimicaltotheprogressof
thiscountry, but also sonegative in everywaythat itendangersthestabilityofpeaceand
calm which is essential for the smooth running ofourState.
9. Resolvethattheresponsibilityforthecollectionofboththebasictax andDistrict
Councilratesbeplaced inthehandsoftheCentral Government, thattheDistrictCouncil
rate be 7/6d. for every District, that the District Council rate and the basic tax be
consolidatedandcollected together, thatthe monthlypaydeductionsfromsalaries and/or
wagestoemployeesinthe lowerincomebrackets onthePAYEsystembestoppedandthat
deductionsofsufficient amountsbedoneonceortwicetocoverthetotalamountoftaxdue
fromtheemployee.
10. Accept the Government policies, activities and programmes as outlined by
various Ministers tothis Convention.
11. SupportunreservedlytheGovernment'swise, realisticandcourageousdecision
toestablishdirect, openandformal diplomaticrelationswiththeRepublic ofSouthAfrica
whichisinthebestinterestsofthefourmillionpeopleofMalawiandagreetotreatwithutter
contemptanybodyoranycountrythatwillcriticizethisdecisionasonlywe, andwealone,
know whatis goodforthis country.
12. RededicateourselvestothetaskofbuildingMalawiintoaprosperousnationand
pledge our loyalty to, confidence in and support for the President, the Party and the
Government.
1968 ― LILONGWE
Resolutions passedbythefourth AnnualConventionoftheMalawi CongressParty,
attended by members ofthe National Executive Committee; Members ofthe Regional
Committees, DistrictChairmen, Secretaries,TreasurersoftheParty,theLeagueofMalawi
WomenandtheLeagueofMalawiYouth;MembersofParliament;Chiefs;andChairmenof
DistrictCouncils,heldatLilongweTownHall,Lilongwe, fromSeptember16toSeptember
21, 1968.
Whereasthe main theme ofthis conference is: Buildingthe Nation and the Party;
Havinglistenedtoanddiscussedfullythe addressbyHis ExcellencythePresidentof
theRepublic ofMalawi and Life President ofthe mightyMalawi Congress Party;
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KnowingthatMalawi needs a strong and stable Government supportedby aunited
people;
Conscious ofthe fact that Malawi is basically an agricultural country and that all
developmentmust have agriculture as abase;
BeingawareofthefactthatforMalawi'sneeds andcircumstances it isnecessaryfor
Malawito co-operate with herneighbours in Southern Africa; realisingthattheyouthof
MalawihasaroletoplayinthedevelopmentoftheMalawination;now,thereforewe, the
delegates and representatives of all the people ofMalawi, in congress assembled,
Welcomeandapprove His Excellency'scallforhardworkinall aspectsofour
nationalactivities and more especially in the field ofagriculture;
2. Pledgeourselves to maintain and upholdthe fourcornerstones uponwhichthe
State and Party ofMalawi are built, namely: Unity, Loyalty, Obedience and
Discipline; that these cornerstones must be observed by every memberofthe
Party irrespective of rank and that we support the disciplinary action taken
against those who have violated these principles;
3. Putonrecordourappreciationandgratitude toHisExcellencythePresidentfor
his decisionto move the capitalto Lilongwe and forthe factthatwork onthe
movehasalreadystarted. Inthisconnectionweappreciatethegenerosityofthe
GovernmentoftheRepublicofSouthAfricawhoofferedfinancialassistanceto
the Government ofthe Republic ofMalawi to implement the move;
4. Recommend strongly, that in the interest ofnational unity,
(a) Malawi adopt Chinyanja as a national language;
(b) that the name Chinyanja shallhenceforth be known as Chichewa;
(c) thatChichewaandEnglish shallbe the official languages oftheState of
Malawiandthat allotherlanguages willcontinuetobeused ineveryday
private lifein theirrespective areas.
5. Appreciate His Excellency's lucid exposition ofthe world's economic and
politicalsystems, i.e. Communism,SocialismandCapitalismandresolvethatin
Malawi's own interest Capitalism isthe only system feasible;
6. Recommend thatthe youth ofMalawi be brought up in accordance with the
ethicsofAfricantraditionandtothiseffect, wecondemnallindecentandrough
appearances, disrespectful attitudes towards elders which some youth tendto
copyfrom foreign countries and call upon the Government to take appropriate
measuresto remedy the situation;
7. Approve His Excellency's policy ofestablishing Young PioneerAgricultural
SettlementsinthecountryandthesettingupofYoungPioneerTrainingBasesas
the best means ofmakingthe youth ofthis country grow up with a sense of
responsibilitytothe country and nation and ensure accelerated development;
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