“Ballot Boxes Vanish, Votes Counted in Thyolo?” — Mcheka Chilenje Cries Foul in MCP Primary Elections Scandal
What was meant to be a routine democratic process in Nsanje North has now exploded into a full-blown controversy, as former Deputy Speaker of Parliament Esther Mcheka Chilenje rejects the results of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) primary elections held yesterday—citing chaos, irregularities, and what she calls “a brazen hijacking of democracy.”
Through her lawyer Mauya Msuku, Chilenje is demanding a rerun, accusing the camp of incumbent MP Enock Chizuzu of disrupting the elections midway. According to the complaint, a group of rowdy youths—allegedly Chizuzu’s supporters—stormed the voting venue before even half of the delegates had cast their ballots, throwing the process into disarray.
But that was just the beginning of the drama. In a shocking twist, Chilenje claims that regional party officials overseeing the elections abruptly took the ballot boxes to an “unknown destination”—not alone, but accompanied by Chizuzu himself and his monitors. Later, she was stunned to learn that the votes were counted not in Nsanje—but in Thekerani, Thyolo, a completely different district.
“This was not an election; it was a hijack,” reads part of the explosive letter addressed to MCP Director of Elections Dr. Elias Chakwera. “Our client has every reason to believe that this process was neither free, fair, nor credible.”
Dr. Chakwera, speaking cautiously, said it would be premature to comment, as he is yet to receive the official report from the presiding team. But political observers are already questioning how vote counting for an election in Nsanje North ended up happening over 100 kilometers away—in what many are describing as an unprecedented breach of party procedure and voter trust.
As the dust refuses to settle, one thing is clear: Mcheka Chilenje is not backing down, and the MCP leadership will need to address this scandal head-on if it hopes to preserve any semblance of internal democracy.
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