MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) office at Mzimba Boma, previously used by ousted Mzimba Perekezi legislator Jacob Hara, has had its party flag removed.
Sources close to Hara told the local media that the former MP instructed them to take down the flag, saying he would no longer be using the office following his electoral defeat.
Efforts to obtain Hara’s comment on the matter were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to our calls.
Hara lost the September 16, 2025, election to Fikani Ulunji Nyirenda of the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD).
The flag removal has sparked speculation in local political circles about whether Hara is also distancing himself from active party affairs, or simply stepping back after his parliamentary loss.
Political observers note that the removal of party symbols from local offices often signals a transition of influence in a given constituency, especially following election results.
For the MCP in Mzimba Perekezi, the development underscores a shifting political landscape as AFORD regains ground in the district.
Historically, Mzimba has been a stronghold of AFORD since the dawn of multiparty democracy in 1994, when the late Chakufwa Chihana and his party swept most constituencies in the district.
AFORD became a symbol of northern political identity, with Mzimba serving as a core base of support, although internal splits and alliances with other parties in the 2000s weakened its influence.
MCP, on the other hand, was long viewed with skepticism in the North due to its role during the one-party era, when Banda’s regime faced resistance in the region.
However, in recent years, MCP made significant inroads in Mzimba, capitalizing on organizational strength, development promises, and alliances forged through the Tonse Coalition in 2020.
Jacob Hara’s 2019 and 2020 victories were seen as part of this MCP resurgence in the North, marking a temporary decline in AFORD’s once dominant grip.
Nyirenda’s win in 2025, however, suggests that AFORD is mounting a comeback, reclaiming ground it had lost to national parties such as MCP and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Analysts argue that this back-and-forth reflects the fluid nature of northern politics, where loyalty is shaped less by long-standing ideology and more by a combination of regional identity, development expectations, and the performance of individual MPs.
The symbolic removal of the MCP flag from Hara’s office is therefore not just a local matter, but part of a wider narrative of shifting political fortunes between MCP and AFORD in Mzimba.
As AFORD regains influence and MCP recalibrates its northern strategy, Mzimba is once again proving to be a battleground district that could shape the balance of power in Malawian politics ahead of 2030.
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