MCP’s Abida Mia touts Simeon Harrison for Mangochi West by-elections
Firebrand Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislator and deputy minister Abida Sidik Mia has urged people in Mangochi West to vote for Simeon Harrison, an MCP member who is contesting as an independent candidate, in the forthcoming by-election.
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) will on December 15 conduct by-elections in Phalombe North, Mangochi North West and Mangochi South East constituencies whose vacancies followed court nullification of the May 21, 2019 parliamentary elections.
The court guided that those who should vote in the by-election in constituencies where results were nullified shall be those who voted on May 21, 2019. It also said candidates who contested will be eligible to contest under political parties they represented.
Harrison, who stood as an independent candidate, took the matter to court, challenging the elections’ results and the electoral body’s declaration of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Geoffrey Chiwondo as the winner.
In court, Harrison claimed that he won the elections with one vote after beating Chiwondo with 4518 votes against 4517, which MEC declared Chiwondo had won with 4527 votes.
Harrison will be independent candidate because he had contested under that banner but MCP is rallying behind him as its member.
“Mangochi West needs an MP who will help un driving the development agenda of the country under the leadership of President Dr Lazarus Chakwera,” said Mia.
She said MCP will be running an issue-based campaign to support Harrison win the seat.
Harrison said he decided to join MCP because that is the best choice for the sake of developing the Constituency.
“I will be the servant of my people, I will do my best to develop the area, it is very pathetic to see my constituency not changing as far development is concerned as if we never had a Member of Parliament,” he said.
Harrison is now second MCP shadow MP in Mangochi apart from Gerald Kazembe whose case it still in court challenging results of Mangochi Monkey-Bay where DPP’s Ralph Jooma was also declared victor.
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