Unofficial results in the parliamentary race in the September 16 General Election point to a trail of mixed fortunes with some Cabinet ministers falling by the way side and hitherto fallen giants making comebacks.
In the Southern Region, UTM Party president Dalitso Kabambe and two of the party’s top officials failed to secure parliamentary seats.
Kabambe, who contested in Thyolo Masambanjati Constituency, got 1 114 votes against 5 861 for Flaviour Kastomu of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), according to unofficial results.
UTM secretary general Willet Karonga also lost to Mwayi Ndalama of DPP who got 19 989 votes against his paltry 611 in Chiradzulu Nyungwe Constituency while UTM vice-president (South) Richard Makondi lost to DPP’s Noel Lipipa in Blantyre City Chilomoni-Kabula-Nancholi Constituency. Makondi got 3 595 against Lipipa’s 20 472 votes.
Other big losers in the region are former minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia of Chikwawa Nkombezi and former minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change Owen Chomanika of Chikwawa North who both contested on Malawi Congress Party (MCP) ticket.
DPP’s biggest casualties are vice-president (Eastern Region) Bright Msaka and Nsanje Lalanje immediate-past legislator Gladys Ganda.
According to unofficial results, Msaka got 3 935 against the frontrunner Tulinje Muluzi of United Democratic Front (UDF) who scooped 6 027 votes in the Machinga Likwenu parliamentary race. Ganda got 5 714 against independent candidate Karim Bilah Abdu’s 13 491 votes.
Other casualties are former ministers Ralph Jooma (DPP), Ibrahim Matola (People’s Party-PP) and Benedicto Chambo (MCP). Jooma lost to MCP deputy secretary general Gerald Kazembe in Mangochi Monkey Bay Constituency.
Three other members of President Lazarus Chakwera’s recently dissolved Cabinet have emerged among the major casualties in the Northern Region. The trio comprises Jacob Hara, Ken Zikhale N’goma and Uchizi Mkandawire.
In contrast, the country’s former vice-president Khumbo Kachali and former Cabinet minister Frank Mwenifumbo appear to be heading back to the National Assembly.
Kachali, who contested on a Freedom Party ticket, has reclaimed Mzimba South West Constituency with 5 674 votes against 5 133 for DPP’s Raymond Nkhata while Mwenifumbo has won the redemarcated Karonga Central Constituency with 7 802 votes and 2 407 for DPP’s Willard Mwangonde.
Hara, who until Monday this week was minister of Transport and Public Works, contested on MCP ticket in Mzimba Perekezi Constituency where he amassed 4 211 votes against 4 722 for Fikani Nyirenda of Alliance for Democracy (Aford) .
In Karonga South Constituency, People’s Party (PP) candidate Duncan Kaonga got a whopping 17 198 votes to trounce former minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire, an MCP candidate, who received 3 309 votes as per unofficial results.
On the other hand, former minister of Mining Zikhale N’goma fell behind in Nkhata Bay South Constituency with 1 906 votes against 3 614 for UTM Party’s Emily Chinthu Phiri.
Chitipa East independent candidate Kenson Malanga is also saw off former minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa with 7 331 votes against 5 202.
In Rumphi Central Constituency, Aford president Enock Chihana has carried the day as unofficial results show that he got 6 822 votes, defeating UTM Party running mate Matthews Mtumbuka who got 3 450 votes.
On his part, DPP Northern Region vice-president Jappie Mhango has retained his Rumphi North Constituency seat for a third term with 11 028 votes against 4 034 for MCP’s Isaac Chakaka Nyirenda and 1 340 for Aford national campaign director Maggie Dossi.
In Nkhata Bay North Constituency, unofficial results indicate that ex-incumbent Chrissie Kanyasho of UTM Party gathered 1 947, behind DPP’s Mackenzie Chipalamoto’s 4 670 votes.
The battle for Nkhata Bay Central Constituency was renewed between Symon Vuwa Kaunda of DPP and Ralph Mhone with the former amassing 5 369 votes against the latter’s 5 365 votes, a four-vote margin compared to the duo’s three-vote difference in 2019.
In the aftermath of a protracted legal battle for Mzimba Central Constituency, MCP running mate Vitumbiko Mumba seems to have won by a landslide after he got 13 042 votes against 2 673 votes for his bitter rival Adamson Kuseri. Both candidates contested as independents.
MCP first deputy president Catherine Gotani-Hara retained Mzimba North-East Constituency with 14 964 votes against DPP’s Edgar Tembo.
Hara and Zikhale N’goma did not respond to our calls, but Uchizi Mkandawire said he would reserve his comment until Malawi Electoral Commission releases official results.
In a written response yesterday, Mwenifumbo said he was grateful to the voters and excited that he will continue from where he left off.
“We want to construct good hospitals, good schools and all-weather roads throughout the constituency,” he said.
