MCP candidate takes MEC to court over by-election postponement

Malawi Congress Party  (MCP) parliamentary candidate for November 5 parliamentary by-election in Lilongwe South Constituency  has reacted angrily to the postponement of the polls in the area, saying he will take legal action against the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

MEC says it has postponed the by-election to safeguard people’s lives and property after violence which led to destruction of four houses and targeted the pollster’s commissioners and staff, among others.

But Peter Dimba, the immediate past member of parliament for the area, described the reasons put forward by MEC as lame excuses.

“They will now stop taking people for granted. I will take them to court. This is nonsense,” said Dimba.

There has been no immediate reaction from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Frank Mazizi.

There have been a spate of violence in the pre-election campaign mainly between supporters of MCP and DPP, the main contenders in the race and MEC officials have been caught in the cross fire.

UTM has pulled out of the parliamentary race in the area, citing credibility reasons of MEC after the highly disputed May 21 elections which the party and the MCP are now challenging in court.

Police have since arrested 16 suspects in connection with the violence which, according to DPP officials, left 13 houses torched.

There have been pockets of violence in the area, especially at Ndaula Trading Centre in Traditional Authority Masumbankhunda.

The by-election in the constituency follows suspension of voting during the May 21 Tripartite Elections following the death of a UTM Party candidate Agness Penemulungu two weeks to the polls.

During the launch of the by-elections, MEC officials also had a rude awakening in the constituency when voters questioned the electoral body’s credibility to hold by-elections amid controversy surrounding the handling of the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.