Bandawe drags MCP to court over election U-turn in contentious Dedza East primaries
Patrick Bandawe, who was declared winner of the Dedza East Malawi Congress Party (MCP) primary elections before the party reversed the decision and declared Juliana Lunguzi winner has threatened the party with a lawsuit if it does not adequately explain the reason for its decision.
The country’s oldest political grouping on Sunday conducted primary elections in Dedza East Constituency.
According to a statement released by the party on Monday, the presiding team of the elections were Peter Mazizi, Peter Chalera MP, Gerald Banda and Luwanisa Chapora.
“At the end of the exercise, the Presiding Officer, going by the number of votes shared between two candidates, declared Mr. Patrick Bandawe the winner. However, an independent enquiry by the Directorate of Elections has established that there were more than two contestants, yet the figures for the others have not been reported, which is irregular,” reads the statement, signed by MCP Publicity Secretary Reverend Maurice Munthali.
“Further, we have established that a candidate in that race, having received votes that were insufficient for a victory, is alleged to have yielded the votes his supporters cast for him to another candidate, which is not only irregular, but is unethical and a serious breach of party conduct. The Directorate of Elections therefore recommended that that candidate be disqualified and his votes discounted together with the figures of the declared winner who was a primary beneficiary of the violation,” the party says.
It concludes: “For this reason, it is the resolution of the party that Juliana Lunguzi is the legitimate winner of the Dedza East Primaries, not only because she had the votes to win before other candidates colluded to manipulate the process, but also because our investigations show that she had no part in the collusion.”
However, in a statement also released on Monday, Bandawe accused the party of taking a partisan stand after it made a decision based on only one side of the story as it has not heard his side.
“Why has the party made the decision based on only one side of the story? While they have listened to Hon. Lunguzi’s version of events, the party has not yet made an attempt to hear me out. As I issue this press statement, on Monday 4pm, the party has made no effort to reach out to me. What kind of justice is this?
“If the party felt there were irregularities during the polls, the option was to declare the elections null and void and order a re-run. What prophetic basis is the MCP using to determine that Hon. Lunguzi would have won had the 31 areas had taken part in the election,” he said.
Bandawe also disputed the party’s claim that he benefitted from the delegates after one candidate, upon realising that he was losing, asked his delegates to vote for the other candidates.
“It is indeed true that some of those delegates joined my queue. But some of them also joined Hon Lunguzis queue. So why is the party only punishing me,” he said.
Bandawe has given the party 24 hours to rectify the issue, failing which he will seek legal redress.
“I need clarification from MCP Headquarters why they rejected the results by a Presiding Officer who it sent all the way from Lilongwe to conduct the elections. Does this not defeat the ends of both democracy and justice?
“I request the party to provide me with an explanation within the next 24 hours about how it decided to declare Hon. Lunguzi as winner of the elections despite results of the vote, as confirmed at the constituency level and by the Presiding Officer who was duly assigned and trusted by the party HQ. I will be forced to seek legal redress if the party does not address this matter, especially in view of the fact that the party seemed to have settled on the winner long before the elections and it is determined to ensure this dream is not disrupted.”
University of Livingstonia (Unilia) political scientist George Phiri described the conduct of the primaries, which had failed on two previous occasions, as pathetic.
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MCP should get rid of the present presiding officers, employ another faithful team to conduct the elections fairly. These officers have been bought by UTM and DPP to kill our mighty party. We want Juliana, Jessie, Chiphiko to lead their constituencies
Nabanda nkhani mwaimvetsa koma? Kapena chingerezi chakudutsani? Nkhani ndi yathu mighty MCP osati DPP or UTM. Be civilised please. Let us look at mavuto athu chifukwa kulikonse komwe kuli ma primaries a MCP kukumakhala mikangano and that’s not a good thing for a party.
Ngati influence ikuchokera ku UTM then it means they are more powerful than us if they have this capacity, and so we have to check on that
i think nanu simunawanvese anabandawa. the issue here is about the right to be heard. bandawe was not given an opportunity to explain his side. if he goes to court mcp will lose this case am telling u today if what bandawe is saying is true. the problem is that if we cant promote democratic principles withi the party we should not expect that once they go into govt they will start practising democracy. i would like to encourage malawians irespective of our party affilations to ensure that their intra party democracy in our political parties others we will fail to ripe the benefits of democracy in malwi.
Aliyense maso ku MCP…Aliyense afuna MCP….Abusa a Chakwera akusiyana ndi mbava tinavotera 2014 izi….
These people were after Juliana and Jesse Kabwira. We saw it coming. These crooked people are being sponsored by dpp and utm who want to take these powerful women on board. MCP let’s stand by these strong women including Khunbize Kandodo. Utm is very desperate and please don’t listen to what call themselves political experts like one at Chancol and Livingstonia. They talk nonsense.
I agree… Thindwa is DPP and I dont know why ZBC like him…..he is boring and ZBC is becoming boring..
Zodiak inali kale…
If u managed to buy the so-called presiding officers don’t think u will apply the same to the judges or magistrates Mr. Bandawe.
My mighty MCP would u please first of all punish or discipline Peter Mazizi and his friends who presided over these primary elections for denting the good image of the party by flouting party’s conduct and came up with fake results. Why didn’t they disqualify those other candidates who had withdrawn from the race at the time of elections together with their supporters to take part in voting? These people have brought shame to ur party.
Next time choose people capable of handling such elections.
KKKKKK EEEEIIISH >>>>>>>MCP IS NOW A HOT CAKE…..PEOPLE SCRUMBLING TO STAND ON MCP TICKET>>>
Yes mpira wakuphwa sasewera.
Can someone carry for me this msg to MCP. We need quick updates/uploads of you tube videos for rallies like utm does. I’ve searching for BT rally on you tube since the rally was held on Sunday but nothing. MCP people please be on top o f your game! Love Dr Laz! God bless Dr Laz! MCP bola 2019.
Osadandaula naye munthuyi. Musiyeni apite ku khothi. He is in big financial trouble at the moment and looking for a lawyer to get into more trouble. I keep on saying we need servant leadership and not winning at any cost. From what am told, the other candidate already pocketed money from Bandawe. Kicks of a dying horse. Tso pompano mumva kuti wakalowa – ngongole!!!!
Atola nkhani muvina simunati….Remember how u missed what was happening during MCP convention… Now mwambwitanso yapa…U will. mbwita again at JK primaries…. Atolankhani inu amene muli kulambira DPP and UTM MUMVA PHENI……
New MCP mulimbana nayo koma its moving…
Inunso kulankhula ngati oduka mutu atola nkhani akukamba zimene zachitika kapena mwina akunama i thought bandawe won in the first results and lost in the second one meaning something is wrong which you need to rectufy as mcp instead of wasting time meantioning utm and other parties.Stick to the issue at hand baba.
No they are not. They are setting their own agenda
Dont be blind brother….we follow them. we know what we are saying…some Journalists hv their own interests…..azimbwita chonchi…..its bad for them to hv two contradicting stories in hours…then another day say way….very bad legacy…..
Away with this…..tisova…
Amene tinawalowesa boma 2014 alephera fullstop. Abwerepo wena……APM n SKC the worst presidency in Malawi and probaby in southern Africa right now…..
Sorry bwana bandawe mwaononga zambiri kuhonga Augustine chidzanja the Governor but constituents have spoken-they want the much educated and stable Lunguzi, politically to lead them. They know last time you represented PP in the same constituency and failed miserably.Inu, mwawa and gerald ku salima want to become MPs not to save the pipo but alleviate your poverty…you are all deep in debts…MCP will this time fair badly in the lakeshore region because greed has taken center stage.
U still had PP in u… MCP did well to be patient.. MCP sipupuluma….u had 5000 pp votes and JL had 19,000
MCP gave u a benefitof doubt basi kuberanso… Go ku khoti…nothing will hange…u will lose lots…
Mwampweteka mzibamboyu inu a MCP
O chakwera mutani kodi? Nthawi ya Baba Tembo kudalibe izi. Kupha chipani ndithu. 5 point plan nde ndi imeneyi kani?
Nchifukwa analuza kawiri and ma vote a JZU cannot compare with Dr Laz 2014…JZU sanafikire South
Check facts on the ground. Chakwera has picked it from where Tembo left and he has revived it to the extent that are come May 2019, MCP will get thousands of votes in the southern and eastern regions and these votes are the ones that will make MCP form next year’s government. Believe this or sit down and see MCP train heading to state house
Kamuzu must surely be rolling in his grave. Fellow Malawians, never make the mistake of electing Mia’s inept cabal into government, they will be worse than Dr Banda and his young pioneers, they are just as murderous but have also now become infected with corruption.
Get a life and move on a “big man”. Accept that Mia amakumvetsani kuwawa basi. Siyani kulubwalubwa. Accept that mukunva kuwawa at the thought that MCP will be in government next year and will remove all the mediocrity we have been seeing in government since multiparty democracy.
Miserable…Frustrated..You wish Mia dead mwawuponda. Dont think God is only for you…He is for every human being…This is why you are poor but Mia rich. if God was only for u not him bwenzi muli bho….so just hate n hurt but the train is moving on.
Kuchita kuti they have ALSO infested with corruption. kkkkkk kuyikokera MCP kumachimo munavotera 2014wa….Anthu anzeru sangavotere 2014 mbava APM and SKC…..
Bandawe munabera muhu wakwazi apa.. osamabera ozimayi mudzibera ohu omuna ozanu ..
Imeneyo ndi kolapishoni. Irregularity.
Dikila chipani chikawina
bandawe explain why you gave money to regiomal governor chinjadza
Ndale osamasewera ndi ana ammudzi. sometimes its good kumafufuzaso komwe adagona ambuyako. Munthu akuthamangitsa pa rent nde ukapeze ndalama zolipira Lawyer???? MCP Mulibemo Mwana. baadyani ndalama za DPP zo kaye.
Before One candidate decided to Donate his votes JL was in the lead.JL ndi JK aduse basi at whatever Cost Amatiyimirira ngakhale JK ndi obalalika pang’ono kkkk. Without these two ladies Malawi Parliament will never be the Same.Pamene kwina anthu atodusa osapikisana ndi aliyense Chipani Cha Fuko aliyense atofuna kuyimirira.Viva MCP.
This is how Zinchetera of Mchinji East won primary election, when he saw that he could not win out right he asked two weaker contestants voters to join his line. In fact for Zinchetere it was pre-arranged with the other two contestants that they would “sell” him voters. A meeting between Zinchetera and the other two contestants had taken place at Mikundi Trading Centre prior to election where they agreed to form a coalition of voters. If the practice was irregular why didnt MCP act annul the results? MCP is creating independents
From the look of things and hearing your explanation I have the feeling that you did not win the election. even the first report by Nyasatimes which indicated that you had won said Lunguzi had three long line while you had two and people were surprised why you were declared a winner.
Pathetic indeed!
Bandawe is the real winner here, democratically elected, and MCP should rectify this asap. Let’s see if the house of oChakwera has backbone.
Kodi MCP izathekha ngati? Still undemocratic?
Check facts on the ground boy. You see MCP right now has been brave enough to conduct primaries in every region in a fair manner. MCP right now is top most democratic party in the country. MCP right now is the only party that has leaders who want to serve people and not to rip them off their hard-earned money. MCP’s goal is not just to remove DPP from office. No. MCP want to remove every mediocrity we have been witnessing in government since 1994. MCP wants to bring sanity to the way parties and government are run. And by the way, MCP train is heading to state house next year and it won’t be stopped by haters like you. Mwachepa.
DEAR BANDA WE IF YOU HAVE ALL IT TAKES — STAND AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE OR JOIN UTM — WHY THE BP ?? IF THE VOTERS NEED YOU IN THE CONSTITUENCY THEY WILL STILL VOTE FOR YOU IN 2019 FULSTOP
Mistake fighting MCP.
Sobber up and work from within.
Mr. Bandawe r u pregnant ??? Kapena ndi ma Scombingo atupisa mimbayo?? By the way dint u knw that there has never bn democracy in MCP ?? Since Kamuzu era the party has bn undemocratic up to date. Wazindikira tsopano what’s ur next move??
Paja inu mzeru anakumanani eti? Pali chifukwa choti mumunyozere munthu chifukwa cha mmene amaonekera? Nthawi zina kumayesako kumabisako uchitsiru
Tazikangonyambitani Shaft inu
Re-do the primaries. Seems there is no justice.
He failed while under PP ruling and cashgate ili hot hot, nde akaime Independent pano akadutsa???? Mtsikana wake ndiyemweyutu anamuvwivwinyiza 2014. Wanzeru anangovomereza anapala basi. And fight a legal battle with MCP is the down fall of himself in his political career.