MCP rejects secret ballot method during primaries
Officials and supporters of the main opposition, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in the north are asking the party to adopt a secret ballot method during primary elections to avert political violence.
The party is expected to hold party primaries for aspiring members of parliament and councilors next week.
The officials in the region said the open election system, whereby people stand behind a candidate of their choice is a recipe for violence as was the case in Dedza north and in Lilongwe.
The officials said the losing candidates target the people who stand behind the winning candidate and start the violence out of frustration.
But the party has rejected the advice.
Party spokesperson Reverend Maurice Munthali said the secret ballot method is not only expensive but prone to rigging.
“We discussed this issue. We weighed the pros and cons and we found that this is not a viable method of electing aspiring members of parliament and councilors because it is very expensive and it is easier to rig the election,” said Munthali.
The MCP claims that the violence in Dedza and Lilongwe during the primary elections was as a result of external forces but Munthali did not explain which external forces were behind the political violence which left scores of people injured.
Police in Dedza say they have a clue of one suspect behind the violence but the law enforcers are yet to arrest him.
I personally support the idea that people should make a que behind their desired candidate during primaries for transparency reasons. No rigging using this system.
When a party is likely to win expect aspirants to fight. Who can fight for udf in Mulanje, Thyolo and Chiradzulu? Who can fight for Aford in Dowa or Nsanje? Who can fight for dpp in Ntcheu, Dedza and Ntchisi? MPs get duty free vehicles and easy loans from our taxes hence the fights.