DPP’s Ras Chikomeni, independent Swira, collect nominations for presidency in Malawi fresh polls

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says so far three  presidential aspirants t have collected nomination forms  in preparation for July 2 fresh presidential elections and that includes Ras Chikomeni Chirwa who failed to contest as an independent presidential candidate in the May 21 Tripartite Elections and later joined Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said apart from Chikomeni, independent presidential aspirant Smart Swira and New Republican Party.

“I can confirm that the three have collected nomination papers,” MEC spokesperson said.

Chikomeni and Swira’s nomination were rejected by MEC in last year’s polls after they failed to pay the K2 million nomination fees and had inadequate signatures of people nominating them. Each presidential aspirant is required to have 10 people nominating them in each of the country’s 28 districts.

In the case of Swira, he also failed to present a running mate during the nominations.

The nomination papers are available for collection at MEC offices in Blantyre starting and that the fee has to be deposited through the bank before presentation of nomination papers.

The submission of the nomination papers will be on 23rd and 24th April.

A political analyst Augustine Magolowondo called for a revisiting of nomination procedures to avoid cases of disqualifications at the eleventh hour.

He said MEC should be given ample time to “scrutinise all candidates and only those that qualify should be allowed to present their papers.”

The electoral body has announced that the voter registration process will start from 4 April to 7 June with four phases of 14 days each.