Joyce Banda submits her papers to run for presidency: Touts running mate Jerry Jana
Malawi immediate past president Joyce Banda who announced on BBC at the weekend that she is not running for presidency and endorsing State Vice President Saulos Chilima and his UTM Party on Tuesday submitted her nomination papers to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to allow her to contest in the May 21 elections.
Banda has picked ex-diplomat and economist Dr. Jerry Jana as her running mate. This follows electoral alliance fallout with UTM.
PP announced its withdrawal from the coalition with UTM, Alliance for Democracy and Tikonze People’s Movement after UTM refused to give the running mate slot to PP, according to a statement signed by PP spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda.
Introducing her running mate, Banda touted Jana as a formidable leader whom she knew from the time he was a leader of Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce when she was leading small –scale businesses.
“While Jerry Jana headed big business, I headed small businesses,” said Banda.
“If we are going to transform this country, it will be about the income into the households. I was looking for a partner that has worked a lot in the economic social impact of the economy,” said Banda.
When Banda was State President, she appointed Jana at the State-owned farm produce marketer, the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc), as CEO.
“I present to you the running mate and future vice president of Malawi [Jerry Jana],” she said.
Before joining politics and PP, Jana served, among other public portfolios, as Malawi’s ambassador and Sadc coordinator in Brussels, Belgium.
The PP presidential candidate handed her nomination paper to MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah at around 2:30pm amid chanting from supporters.
Banda, who ascended the presidency in line with constitutional order after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika in 2012, finished third in the May 20 2014 Tripartite Elections with 1 056 236 votes against 1 904 399 for Peter Mutharika and 1 455 880 for second-placed Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party. Muluzi was fourth with 717 224 votes.
In the statement, the PP spokesperson said PP pulled out for a short-lived alliance with UTM because the Chilima-led party “failed to comply with the terms of the agreement and a spirit of solidarity that emerged between PP and UTM.”
He said PP felt betrayed after five months of discussions between the two parties.
A UTM source confided that Chilima refused to take on board Joyce Banda’s son and PP vice-president Roy Kachale as his running mate.
In her speech Ansah, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal and a former Attorney General, said Malawians were tired of mudslinging and stressed the need for leaders to adhere to and publicise the election code of conduct.
While assuring that the electoral body would manage the electoral process with impartiality, she said: “Elections are a competition which no-one participates with an expectation of losing. However, it remains a clear fact that only one person emerges winner at the end.
Ansah said the race also gets intense and muddy, but urges the candidates to inspire first-time voters born after the year 2000, to vote.
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Joyce Banda a Yao, Jerry Jana a Yao. What do you make of it?
She wants to be properly position in May when she could have received all the respect above all she has been in exile? ? where is the interest of Malawians?
Time has come when we are not moving backwards but forward ever. She will regret her selfishness and greediness.
2019 elections yaseza anthu a misala ambiri. Even a cockroach can reason better
What does Joyce Banda wants this time? Abale leave this to others. You had ruled the country the spent another good time outside the country and you want to become president again?
MCP DIEHARD,really,UTM,UDF,DPP are just bunches of conmen ?And who are you?A moron,nitwit,zaftig?Do you think that Malawians have forgotten the killings of innocent people by your barbarous bloodthirsty YPM?Do you think that Malawians have forgotten the bloody killings of Dick Matenje,Aaron Gadama and Twaibu Sangala by notorious John Tembo and his dupes?Do you think that Malawians have forgotten the brutal murder of Orton Chirwa the founder and President of the MCP in the Zomba prison by Banda’s henchman Dr.H.Ntaba by enjecting lethal dose on his blood?It is Hastings Banda’s killers who killed one of the best economist in Africa Dunduzu K.Chisiza… Read more »
We are tired of Geriatrics, they have failed Mother Malawi for over 50 years, we can’t have that anymore, it’s time for change!
Waste of time. Suddenly she is younger. Suddenly her boy is not a suitable running mate. Suddenly chilima is not the best presidential candidate. Maybe it was a chamb filled weekend
Is it true they are both from Zomba???……..hmmmmmmmm
Jerry who????………….she always has problems picking a running mate in 2014 it was that ka little boy now she has gone the other extreme ………yikes!
I like your analysis kkkkkkkk
Joyce Banda,please do not think that all Malawians are fools and idiots.You stole peoples’ funds and you ran away from the country thinking that Malawians will forget about it.Yes Bakili Muluzi forgot about it in line with Peter Muthalika as both are corrupt thieves.Right now,people of Malawi want change of leadership and that change is to vote for another President and that President is S.K.Chilima of the UTM Party of the people.The people of Malawi have had enough of corrupt and untrusted leaders who care about their own interests and use the people as their SLAVES.No Joyce Banda,we are fadeup… Read more »