DPP holds Bunda ward in Kasungu by-election but there is a low turn-out

The Democratic Progressive Party(DPP) has returned the seat of the Local Government by-elections whose vote was cast on Tuesday when its candidate Philemon Mbalera Theu scooped 619 votes against his runner- up Jonathan Kayafa Tembo of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) who chalked 297 votes.

Kasungu Chief Executive officer Stuart Ngoka who coordinated  elections at the Municipal Council confirmed Theu’s victory.

The records also indicate that independent candidate  Gerald Bonface  Phiri  came sthird having netted  269 votes while the United Democratic Front’s(UDF) Mark Chiwawalu and another independent candidate Patrick Mbale are fourth and fifth respectively having recorded 12 and 8 votes  out of the five candidates.

The five candidates were fighting for 3001 registered voters at Kasungu LEA school which was  the centre of the polling.

There were no protests of any sort from the opposition as the final results were being announced apart from MCP monitors and UDF including those representing independent candidates hugging and congratulating the DPP monitors for victory n the by-elections.

MCP’s Director of Research at Kasungu office Tisford Banda said they accepted  the defeat .

UDF candidate Mark Chiwawalu in a telephone interview said he was not very well prepared for the elections  hence the loss and he congratulated Theu for the victory.

DPP youth Director Monga Zintambira and his governor Osward Chirwa who represented the party were delighted to reclaim the seat.

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) programme manager Hastings Kalima who was one of the observers apart from Malawi Electoral Support Network, saluted MEC for professionally administering the elections saying they were very transparent and difficult for one to object the results.

In charge for Kasungu police Angel Monga and director of Elections Jivason Makwete hailed political parties and stakeholders for observing peace throughout the elections.

MEC held by-elections in Kasungu Bunda ward   to fill the vacancy created by their councilor Bernard Theu who died in July this year leaving the electorates without representation on development issues at council level.

Philemon was an uncle to the deceased.

Meanwhile, DPP has been celebrating the victory .

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