MCP’s Gwede fault primaries, says will contest as independent: MP Gumba gets the nod

Some Malawi Congress Party  (MCP) members in Mchinji have asked Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to be presiding over all elections in the country including party primaries to select candidates for national polls.

This was said during MCP primary elections in Mchinji south west constituency in Mchinji where it is alleged that there were a lot of anomalies during preparations as well as on the day of the primaries that took place on Saturday  September  8 at Mkwawira primary school ground.

One of the people who contested as a member of parliament Yasinta Zayambika Kavalo said MEC as an electoral body should be taking a greater role during elections in all parties.

”If only MEC can be handling all political party elections in the country, all the anomalies will not be there than the way things happen where we see party leaders presiding over elections in areas where their party friends like incumbent members of parliament and councillors are contesting, ”said Zayambika Kavalo.

Speaking about the issue of anomalies before and during the day of elections, another person who contested and lost on the same seat Rodney Banda said things did not go on well staring from venue, transport and party materials bearing candidate name.

Banda said in the previous elections, candidates were responsible for transporting people from their respective areas to election venues and it was noted that once they lose the elections they were not taking back people to their respective areas.

”it is obvious that once someone loses elections they become angry and it is impossible to remember about transporting someone back home and the district committee thought it wise to have a transport committee to handle transport issue,” said Banda.

Banda further said all the aspirants MP’S agreed to contribute K140 000 and K20 000 for aspirant councillors.

He said all the aspirants paid the money but the incumbent MP Deus Gumba Banda did not pay the money.

” I thought  everyone of us will pay but I believe that the incumbent MP did not pay with reasons behind of which that was not our initial agreement, and we saw his supporters putting on party clothes bering his name which was also against our rules”, said Banda.

Gumba,  who won the madate to beMCP candidate  in Mchinji south west constituency, dismissed what he described as  the  cry of losers, saying he paid the said money and no one put on party colours with someones name.

Speaking after the election, Levie Gwede Banda who lost to Gumba along with two others said he will contest as an independent MP.

Gumba won with 745 votes against 140 votes for Levie Gwede Banda while Rodney Banda had 42 votes and Yasinta Zayambika Kavalo get 12 votes.

Yona Mtanga is the MCP shadow councillor for Kalumbe ward while Aaron Robert Chidzanja is the shadow councillor for Chimimbe ward.

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