By-elections: MCP retain control of central region

Main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has outclassed the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Tuesday’s Parliamentary and Local Government By-elections, according to unofficial results.

Mcp president Lazarous Chakwera:  MCP has maintained its grip on central region
Mcp president Lazarous Chakwera: MCP has maintained its grip on central region

Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) held by-elections in Zomba Chisi Constituency, Ngala Ward in Lilongwe Msozi North Constituency, and Mtope Ward in Mchinji West Constituency.

The elections faced low voter turn-out although about 68,000 people had registered to vote in the Tuesday’s (December 22nd) polls.

According to unofficial results, MCP has won both Local Government seats in central region but has performed miserably in eastern region where DPP has won the contested Parliamentary seat.

Unofficial results compiled by Mec stringers, indicate that in Ngala ward in Lilongwe, MCP candidate, Master Rodgers Chazama is leading the race with 1,381 votes with DPP candidate, Regina Sululu on second with 717 votes.

A total of 2,128 votes were casted in all polling station, 30 were null & void.

In Mchinji’s Mtope Ward, unofficial results from all polling centres, show that MCP’s candidate Aureliano Kalemba leads with 2,444 votes while DPP’s Benedicto Tsele has 2,071 votes.

And in Zomba Chisi Constituency, a DPP Parliamentary candidate, Mark Botoman is on lead with over 1,439 votes while MCP’s Blazio Namakhuwa has got so far about 71 votes.

PP’s candidate Asima Mponda has over 426 votes while independent candidate Felista Sumani has over 441 votes.

MEC is expected to announce official results on Wednesday afternoon at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre.

The by-elections experienced low voter turned-out with less than half of registered voters casting their votes in almost all polling centres.

MEC Media and Public Relations Manager, Sangwani Mwafulirwa on Tuesday attributed the situation to rainy season as people were busy tending to their gardens.

“While some centres had warm turnout others had less people trickling in the morning. This is not uncommon with by-elections more especially considering that this is farming season,” explained Mwafulirwa.

”Some voters would want to go to their gardens first and come for polling in the afternoon”.

Mwafulirwa could not admit on fears that the by-elections might have experienced voter apathy as witnessed by the number of people turning out to cast their votes.

In Zomba, MEC held Parliamentary by-election following the death of legislator, Chidzaro Peter Mangulenje who was, until his death, deputy secretary general for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). In Lilongwe Ngala Ward elections were held after its councillor resigned while in Mchinji Mtope Ward it is due to the death of the councillor.

Only the ruling DPP, the main opposition, Malawi Congress Party (MCP), the Peoples Party (PP) and independent candidates contested in the by-elections. The United Democratic Front (UDF) did not field any candidate.

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The Dreamer
The Dreamer
8 years ago

Musadzlimbitse mtima ndi %age, yagonja yagonja basi, even if margin was 1%, komabe izi oyenera kusangalala nde eni ake dpp osati inu ndiine palibe titapindulepoz,zisiyeni ndi zawo

savimbi stevovo
savimbi stevovo
8 years ago

MCP yawina two Wards without vote buying while DPP won using vote buying .The DPP was distributing maize the day b4 voting day and during Campaign ,they ve been using Govt vehicles and if we add all this up ,you will see kuti they rigged the Election even b4 voting begun.The MCP did report malpractice happening in Zomba constituency,but Mbendera’s Electral Commission didn’t bother to investigate the vote buying by DPP.No wonder 2014 Elections you did steal the elections kumalumbilitsana midnight ku Court ngati amfiti kumanda.Indeed you RIGGED THE ELECTION,BUT YOU ARE FAILING TO RIG THE MALAWI ECONOMY.Dziko lafika powawa… Read more »

prince
8 years ago

mabvuto.alipodi.anthu.akumalawi.ndiosamva.y.DPP?

Caddon Mann
Caddon Mann
8 years ago

AN interesting which confirms that if these were presidential votes, MCP will lose again. Total votes are as follows: DPP 4227 while MCP 3896. You dont need a rocket scientist to tell you that DPP will win come 2019.

chinese ambassador
8 years ago

look at slight figure differences where DPP is loosing in central region to MCP and large figures in south where MCP is loosing to DPP; these really can tell a story.

MCP workhard!!

exporere
exporere
8 years ago

p

The Patriot
The Patriot
8 years ago

MCP is the only hope for Malawi, the only party associated with significant development in Malawi.In 31 years MCP built all the main roads one can see in Malawi, all the UNIMA constituent colleges, all the airports, all Presidential palaces and there was discipline. Contrast the 31years and the 21 years of the so called multiparty democracy of UDF and DPP! What have the Muluzis and Mutharikas to show for their time in office? Ndata farm , BCA mansion and what? Every Malawian leader (after Kamuzu) has successfully left Malawians poorer than he found them when taking the office of… Read more »

Y
Y
8 years ago

Akuti outclassing …aah ma figures ake amenewa ndikumati outclassing? Atolankhani apa Nyasalande paja amalephera kukhala politically neutral hahahah.

MCP
MCP
8 years ago

Why not having a headline: ‘DPP defeats MCP again’. If u observe the figures clearly, u will see the same trend as it was in 2014 genera elections. Eg, where an MCP candidate wins, a DPP candidate is following closely, but where a DPP candidate wins, MCP is far on 4th position. MCP BEWARE! U may miserably lose come 2019.

BigMan
BigMan
8 years ago

Looks to me like the DPP performed better than the MCP.

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