Mzuni Assistant Registrar wins PP primaries amid heavy protest

Malawi’s Mzuzu University’s Assistant Registrar Mercy Kaunda on Sunday put  a serious dent in Nkhata-Bay West  Peoples’ Party (PP) primaries prospects  with a resounding 2451-1554 victory over  her runner-up Chrispine Mphande held  at Lukalazi Primary School in Mzuzu.

Kaunda was winner, thanks to her massive votes. She also stunned  Clement Esau Manda formerly a Blantyre News papers distributor  with 653 while Moses Salamba  director of Northern Life Magazine chalked 663 votes.

“ Am grateful to win the primaries. Let’s forget the past ,move forward and support president Banda to return to power in 2014.If I wronged you, forgive me,”Kaunda said in her  victory speech.

Mercy Kaunda pictured after winning.-Photo by Sebastine NYirenda, MEC Stringer
Mercy Kaunda pictured after winning.-Photo by Sebastine NYirenda, MEC Stringer

But during counting, Mphande alleged that Kaunda sent his  uncle Odiny Nkhata to carry ballot papers for  a distance of  15 km from NkhataBay to  Chesamu, Mapale, and Lifupa wards for delivery where he was also made the presiding officer for the three centers.

Mphande added that Kaunda corrupted monitors with K40 000 each besides giving them party cloth which was flouting elections’ procedures. Salamba and Manda  said votes and number of centers did not tally so it was null and void.

But Kaunda dismissed the claims as false. She warned the Democratic Progressive Party parliamentarian Grace Chiumia to watch out as she eyes for the seat in 2014.

PP National Executive Committee (NEC)member  Sam Ganda who presided  over the elections alongside Northern Region  executive committee members Ruth Kaunda and Simion Chimaliro dismissed the claims saying at first no body complained when asked to do so.

Ganda said the party gave candidates the mandate to transport ballot papers to the wards to guard biasness, so what ever happened it is not their business.

However, Ganda said the secretariat will look into the concerns.

On councilors, Laston Kaunda scored 859 while  Emmanuel Chibwana recorded 535 votes to win Chitheka and Chesamu wards respectively defeating  Helex Kamanga and Erec Banda.

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