Njobvuyalema disputes MCP primary poll results as fraudulent

Incumbent Lilongwe Mapuyu South legislator Joseph Njobvuyalema has vehemently disputed the Thursday Malawi Congress Party (MCP) primary election results which put a political new comer, Edward Chileka Banda as winner, saying they were fraudulent.

In an exclusive interview with Nyasa Times Friday morning, Njobvuyaema said the tabulation of the figures clearly indicate that the 37-year-old Chileka Banda got 199 votes.

“There were 701 voters. If you add up all the votes for everybody, including my 320 votes but excluding Chileka Banda, you will see that he got 199 votes. I don’t know why he is claiming victory when I am the winner,” said the soft spoken Njobvuyalema.

The veteran legislator said he would be launching an official complaint to the party.

But Chileka Banda said he got 470 votes during the MCP primary elections against Njibvuyalema’s 320.

“I have actually received official communication that I will be the party torch bearer for the MCP in Lilongwe Mapuyu south during the parliamentary elections,” he said.

He said Njobvuyalema should just concede defeat honourably having served the area for 20 years as memberof parliament.

MCP Central Region chairperson Patrick Chilondola said Chileka Banda won by 470 votes against Njbvuyalema’s 320 votes, saying this means Chileka Banda, a youth activist who currently works with Action Aid Malawi,has won the election.

Njobvuyalema has had acrimonious relationship with MCP president Lazarus Chakwera after he challenged him in the 2014 party presidential polls.

He was once suspended from the party and came back after he apologized.

Njobvuyalema, a conviction politician who has never changed political parties,  has been Lilongwe Mapuyu South legislator since its creation in 1999, having been retained in the 2004, 2009 and 2014 elections.

Besides being a legislator, Njobvuyalema also played a pivotal role in national politics, serving in MCP National Executive Committee (NEC) positions in addition to being Chief Whip, shadow minister of Finance and a member of Parliamentary Service Commission and the Pan African Parliament.

The former cop also served as MCP director of elections.