PP withdraws Rumphi North candidate as Kamlepo trashes Msonda
Controversy over ruling PP primaries results in most parts in the country continue with the latest being the disqualification of Rumphi North candidate Jappie Mtuwa Mhango with marketer Dexter Mkandawire.
PP Treasurer General Harry Mkandawire, who also doubled as Chairperson of the party’s primary elections in the northern region confirmed to Nyasa Times about the development.
Ironically, Mhango was already paraded to President Joyce Banda together with other victors from the north at Kamuzu Palace where he also received MK150,000 cash, 200 PP branded ‘T’ shirts and 500 metres Party clothes as ‘starter pack’ for campaigning.
Mhango will have to return the congratulatory presents to Banda.
But Mkandawire said the party’s investigation team that went to the constituency to probe alleged serious irregularities unearthed overwhelming evidence and decided to change the candidate.
He said there sporadic incidences of violence in most of the 15 centres perpetrated by supporters of Mhango.
“This rendered the whole process unfair. Therefore what has been decided is that there should be no re-run,” Mkandawire said.
He said the party is also scrutinising complaints of People’s Party (PP) deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda’s who lost to form Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) president Kamlepo Kalua in Rumphi East recently.
“The status quo may or may not change depending on the evidence that our investigating teams will find,” Mkandawire said.
But Kamlepo wondered why Msonda who came third complained while the one who came second [Saulos Thindwa] accepted the primaries’ results.
Kalua said Msonda got just over 700 votes while he got over 3 000.
A number of candidates have protested PP primaries results in most parts in the country. These include Karonga Central where the party has finally decided that Cornelius Mwalwanda, who won the primaries is the rightful winner.
“We have complaints in almost every constituency. Of course some of them (complaints) are not genuine but will look at each case and come up with a decision later on,” he said.
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