Atupele collects nomination papers for Malawi presidency — UDF

United Democratic Front (UDF) president Atupele Austin Muluzi has finally collected his presidential papers with pollster, the Malawi Electoral Commission, puting to rest speculation that he would pair with Peter Mutharika during the high contentious May 21 tripartite polls.

The collection of the papers by Muluzi brings to eight aspiring presidential candidates who will battle it out during the May 21 elections.

UDF publicity secretary Ken Ndanga has confirmed that Muluzi has finally collected the MEC papers.

“He has just collected the MEC papers now. This means he will contest during the May tripartite elections,” said Ndanga.

Each aspiring presidential candidate pays K2 million to pay for the nomination papers.

Muluzi kept the country and his supporters in the dark on whether he would run for presidency or not after news was rife that he would pair with  Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the collection of the papers from MEC does not mean a person was eligible for the presidency, saying the pollster would vet all candidates.

Mutharika, main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera, United Transformation Movement (UTM) president Saulos Chilima and People’s Party president Joyce Banda are amng those that have collected the presidential nomination papers.

The collection of the papers closes on February 8.