Malawi ex-first lady Shanil contesting for MP as independent
Former First Lady Patricia Shanil Muluzi (born Patricia Fukila) will contest as Member of Parliament for Balaka West in the May 20 Tripartite Elections as an independent candidate .
Shanil, who has joined People’s Party (PP) of President Joyce Banda stopped being an active member of the party which has been favouring a President’s relation Ronald Chanthunya and she as since been practising her politics on an independent platform.
PP officials led by a Charles Kambadya Masina met eight group village headmen, including Sub Traditional Authority Chanthunya, at Mphenzi Orphan Care Centre, and told them not to allow Muluzi to hold meetings in the constituency.
They argued that she was too senior to vie for the position of an MP.
The former first lady will face United Democratic Party (UDF’s) incumbent Nazilane Pillane, Johannes Mulonya of PPM, Emphraim Mankhanamba (independent) Bertha Ndebele (independent) and Chanthunya of PP.
Balaka District Commissioner Lusizi Nhlane said Shanil would contest after filing her nomination papers last week.
The former First Lady divorced from the former President Bakili Muluzi and in 2012 announced that she has joined frontline politics.
Shanil took former president Muluzi to court for not giving her 2 million Malawi kwacha being allowances that accrued to her from the Malawi government for looking after her husband when he was sick in a London hospital.
The former First Lady is known for charity work after establishing Freedom Foundation Trust.
She stays in her home village Mfulanjobvu in Balaka following the divorce while the former president resides at his BCA Hill residence in Blantyre.
She is one of the volunteer guest presenters of Radio Maria, a Catholic Radio station after her divorce with the Muluzi.
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