Malawi election campaign to officially kick off March 19
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has officially announced that it will launch the official campaign period on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 and the function will be held at Bingu International Convention Centre, Lilongwe.
The launch will be held under the theme “Consolidating Malawi’s Democracy through Peaceful Campaign”.
The commission through Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) will also make a presentation on “Regulation of Handouts during Campaign” hence urging all candidates to attend the event.
A total of 8 candidates, including incumbent president Peter Mutharika, are contesting in the May 21 presidential elections.
Among the key contestants are the incumbent, Mutharika, on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket, main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) with Lazarus Chakwera, and Mutharika’s Vice President Saulos Chilima with his UTM Party.
Mutharika’s cabinet minister Atupele Muluzi (former Malawi president Bakili Muluzi’s son) and leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), also form other contestants to reckon with among the eight ad former president Joyce Banda and her People’s Party (PP) have withdrawn from the race and are backing MCP candidate.
Of all presidential candidates, there’s only one independent candidate while the rest are political party leaders, according to MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah.
President Mutharika picked his running mate, Everton Chimulirenji, currently a cabinet minister and DPP’s Director of Campaign.
On the other hand, opposition MCP leader Chakwera his running mate, Sidik Mia, is a known business magnate and politician.
In 2014 polls, 12 candidates vied for the presidency, including opposition MCP leader Chakwera, PP leader and incumbent president then, Joyce Banda, and the now incumbent, Mutharika, on DPP ticket. Mutharika emerged winner, followed by Chakwera and Banda on positions two and three, respectively.
Whatever happens please musalisiye dziko mmanja mwa dpp. Mubetsa. I told people in 2009. 2014 I had given up. I can see hope now. Koma kupatsanso apumbwa awa ndiye olo namalenga angoti Hadadi waphatikizana ndi mafano… Mlekeni
JB HAS COME TO DRAW A CLEAR WHITE WINNING MARGIN FOR CHAKWERA…………
THE GAP IN VOTES BETWEEN CHAKWERA AND WHO EVER WILL COME NEXT TO HIM WILL NOW BE VISIBLY BIGGER
I DON’T THINK DPP WILL SWALLOW THESE BITTER PILLS EASILY
Your wish is as good as mine. Continue dreaming and you will wake up arms akimbo. Umenewu ndi Mtengano. MCP was strong going it alone. Now all PP would be voters are likely to be split between UTM, DPP and UDF. And trust me the major benefit in this is UTM.
It seems ur dreaming, how can UTM benefit from this coalition? what you have to know is that UTM is like ung’ono ung’ono in 2014 but after the election, they didn’t do anything. Malawians are looking for a well-matured, Intelligent person like Dr Chakwera. Osati za sewero zanuzo we want serious business no time to waste bro.