Senior members of the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have registered wins in parliamentary primary elections conducted recently.
In MCP primaries held on Monday, Minister of Higher Education Jessie Kabwila and Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu registered wins in Salima Central West and Dedza Mlunduni constituencies respectively.
Kabwila defeated incumbent legislator and former deputy Minister of Health Enock Phale by 1 310 to 676 votes, while Kunkuyu amassed 1 073 votes against incumbent legislator Ishmael Onani’s 273.
In an interview, Kabwila said the win was an indication that people had missed her developmental works after losing the seat in 2019, when she represented the UTM party in the area.
She said: “They have shown that they really want to retain the current government, because they know that I am in the first 11 when it comes to making sure that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) does not come back to government.
“I am grateful to all these people because they want leadership at constituency level to show where it came from, leadership that solves problems, especially of hunger.”
In Dedza Chikoma Constituency, incumbent Auzious John Chidobvu won by amassing 872 votes while another incumbent Joshua Malango took the Dedza Masina Constituency by 1 302 votes against Donald Tatha Kazanga’s 1 079 votes.
In Dowa South East, Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare Halima Daudi received 1 000 votes against Hope Tionge Zamba’s 785 votes.
MCP director of Legal Affairs George Jivason Kadzipatike won in the newly-established Dowa Kasangazi constituency by 1 133 votes to 650 for Abraham Liwonde Chibwe.
Meanwhile, during DPP primaries yesterday parliamentarian Sameer Suleman defeated former Blantyre City Mayor Wild Ndipo by 458 to 17 votes in the newly formulated Chigumula BCA Club Banana Constituency.
Likewise, legislator Noel Lipipa also triumphed in the newly demarcated Blantyre City Chilomoni-Kabula-Nacholi Constituency, amassing 671 votes against two for Bertha Masiku.
In Mulanje South Constituency, Santigo Phiri went unopposed.
In an interview yesterday, Suleman, who is also the party’s organising secretary, said the win shames those who have been gunning for his downfall in the primaries.
“The MCP sponsored people so that I lose, but look at what has happened! This is a clear sign that people want the DPP to win and liberate the country from the current deep socio-economic challenges,” he said.
Since the start of primary elections in February, there have been some pockets of violence in the DPP and MCP.
Political Science Association spokesperson Mavuto Bamusi said most wrangles result from lack of clarity on guidelines for conducting primary elections, personal interests by candidates to grab power at all cost and favouritism by some party leaders.
The 2019 Tripartite Elections saw over 55 parliamentarians elected on independent tickets, after being frustrated in primary elections in their respective parties.
