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, and from 1966 to 1993 was
the only legal party in the country. It has continued to be a major force in the country since losing power. At the 2009 elections, it received approximately 30% of the national vote.