Boti Phiri wins primaries to be MCP candidate in Chakwera constituency
Parliamentary aspirant, Dr. Mphatso Jones Boti Phiri will represent Malawi Congress Party in Lilongwe North West by elections after beating 14 other aspirants in the party’s primary elections held on August 29, 2020.
The Parliamentary seat fell vacant following the stepping down of Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, who was contesting for the country’s Presidency during June 23 2020.
Chakwera had won the seat during the May 21 2019 Parliamentary elections, but stepped down in line with country’s law to contest in the court sanctioned June 23 Presidential poll, which he was duly declared winner.
The primary elections were held at Kasiya Community Day Secondary School in the area and brought together 15 aspirants, three of them women.
Boti Phiri, believed to be a former Malawi Defence Force officer, won with 389 votes and was distantly followed by Deborah Mitawa with 255 votes.
One Thousand two hundred ninety-three turned up to elect the party’s representative for the forthcoming by elections with 9 votes declared null and void.
In previous processes of electing preferred party candidates, supporters were standing in a line behind the aspirants, but the time around, they used ballot papers with strict adherence to Covid-19 prevention measures.
The Electoral Commission (EC), under the leadership of Dr. Chifundo Kachale, is expected hold by-elections in the following five vacant constituencies; Mangochi West; Mangochi North East, Phalombe North, Lilongwe North West and Karonga Central.
Recently, the electoral body engaged the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) Board to be apprised of implications and map the way forward regarding holding of by-elections and carrying out electoral cycle activities that include post-election reviews and demarcation of wards and constituencies amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was agreed that the activities should be implemented with strict adherence to Covid-19 preventive measures by all stakeholders.
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